Close Encounters
by Missroxy87
Summary: Ross and Rachel are celebrating their three months anniversary after she got off the plane when they have a startling meeting with someone from their past. Since then, they keep meeting people from their past and talk about their relationship while planning their future. COMPLETED
1. Close Encounters

For all the **Roschel shippers** out there!  
Another one shot that might turn into something more, but for the moment it will be a two chapter. I had the idea while thinking about what could happen if Rachel actually saw **her.  
** Ross and Rachel are celebrating their three month anniversary after being together again and they have a rather startling meeting with someone from their past.  
This brings up bad memories but also the occasion to talk about their infamous "break" and work things out once and for all.  
Remember, I'm not an English native speaker and I usually make a lot of mistakes, so please forgive my typos and failures in the language.  
I hope you enjoy this!  
RT

* * *

Ross and Rachel were preparing to celebrate their third month since they were back together.

After Rachel had moved to Ross' apartment, many things had changed.

Chandler and Monica were no longer living in the apartment 20, which strangely was still vacant. Joey had recently moved to Los Angeles. Phoebe, however, still lived with Mike in the city and was the only one of the original group of six friends that they saw almost daily over a cup of coffee at _Central Perk_.

Despite the distance, Ross and Rachel were trying to see Chandler and Monica at least during the weekend, and they had noticed that Ross's sister and her husband were turning out to be two wonderful parents.

The evening started in the best way.

After leaving Emma at Sandra Green's home as agreed, the couple went to the _Javu_ , where Monica had asked her sous-chefs to prepare them a special themed dinner.

As a good organizer, she also had made specially printed menus of the evening: _Lobsters Three Months Anniversary_.

What Rachel was completely unaware of was Ross's desire to finally ask her to marry him that night. He had wanted to wait some time before doing so, to make sure everything was going more than well for them. But now he could not wait any longer, after all he and Rachel had known each other for almost twenty years and in their weird relationship they had been on and off for ten years. Emma was almost two years old and Ross couldn't wait for seeing her grow up with the knowledge that her mother was _married_ to her father.

Of course, it made no difference to him. He loved Rachel like no other woman before.

He had loved Carol, they had been married for many years and sure, he had loved her. Perhaps he had felt something very deep for Emily, but that had never been love, more like a vague attempt to replace Rachel with another woman.

The truth was that the only person with whom he'd wanted to spend the rest of his life for the past ten years had always been her. _Rachel_.

"Honey, you're rather quiet tonight. Which is definitely not like you. No stories about dinosaurs or about your students to tell me?" Rachel asked. She wore a tight red strapless dress for the occasion. When he had seen her come out of their room dressed like that, Ross had remained breathless for a few seconds and had tried to capture forever in his memory the detail of that moment.

"No, no... it's just that... you're so beautiful tonight that you really left me speechless."

Rachel smiled tenderly, "Thank you, honey. Trying to earn points to score later, aren't you?"

"Can you blame me?" He asked, laughing.

"No, seriously. Is there something that worries you?" She asked him, taking his hand.

"Uhm...er... There's one thing I'd like to talk to you about..."

"You can tell me anything, Ross... It's all going very well between us, isn't it?" She whispered softly.

Ross took her hand and kissed it, "Everything is amazing. The truth is that it's going so well that it seems like a dream. In fact there is one thing I would like to ask you..."

Rachel smiled as Ross put their hands together on the table.

As he looked at their joined hands, he did not immediately realize the change in Rachel's expression. When Ross looked up, however, he noticed that from sweet and serene, suddenly Rachel had become cold and horrified. Her eyes were watching something or someone behind Ross.

Concerned, he too turned and knew immediately what had disturbed Rachel and especially what was going to ruin their evening irremediably.

The woman who had just entered the hall was in company of a man they had never seen before. But neither Ross nor Rachel could forget _her_.

It was Chloe.

She had changed her hair color and she was blonde, no longer reddish, but knowing her personality it didn't seem quite strange.

Ross felt his heart stop for a moment and let out a moan wondering what he had done wrong in his past lives to deserve a similar coincidence to happen to him _that_ night.

 _Please, do not let her see us, do not let her be so stupid as to come here..._

But Chloe had never been a particularly smart girl, or at least she had always been very naive.

"Hey, Dinosaur Guy!"

Ross turned desolate to Rachel in time to see her take her hand off the table and pick up the napkin, pretending to wipe her mouth.

"Chloe!"

"It's been a lifetime, it must have been... how much, seven years?"

"Couldn't have been another thirty or forty?" Ross asked, pretending it was a joke when he was actually confessing a hope.

The man who accompanied Chloe, meanwhile, approached their table, smiling at what he thought was a meeting of old friends.

"But I see you're in good company...Rachel, isn't it?"

Not knowing if she was still able to utter a word, Rachel nodded ruefully, trying to hold back her breath and her instinct to get up and leave the room immediately.

"Well, it's no mystery that Ross was so in love with you, damn you're still gorgeous!"

Rachel was a little surprised by the unexpected compliment. It was absurd to think that Chloe did not realize how dramatic such an unexpected and provocative interruption was for Ross and her. What for Chloe had been a simple night of passion, for the two of them had meant the end of their relationship and their seven-year separation and emotional hell.

"This is Thomas, we've been married for almost two years now."

Ross looked at her a little surprised, unaware that Chloe had it in her to become a wife.

"Yes, I know, many people react like this when I introduce him."

Rachel tried to guess what Ross was feeling at the moment, but she could not do it easily, seeing that since he stood up to talk to Chloe she could only saw him from behind.

"I leave you to your dinner. It was so nice to see you again!" Chloe said sincerely.

"Never as nice as for us, Chloe!" Rachel said, finding her voice just in time for a sarcastic comment.

As the two moved away to go to their table, Ross sat down and tried to lighten the mood in his own way.

"Who would have thought, uh?"

Rachel glared at him, making it clear that it was not a good time to joke.

"Ok, ok...Tomorrow I'm gonna tell Monica to hang a a picture of her and a _CHLOE NOT ALLOWED_ sign outside the door."

Rachel tried to hide that she was smiling at this joke, so she looked away. Ross tried not to think about what had just happened, but he couldn't.

"Rachel...please don't let this spoil our evening...everything was so perfect..." Ross whispered, looking for her hand again.

"Yeah. But I didn't think the ghosts of the past would come knocking on our door tonight", she replied.

Ross nodded silently, thinking of the engagement ring that lay in his trouser pocket.

* * *

TBC - Ch. 2...


	2. Mr Brightside

Thanks to **Babatomyfriends** for the review and for the heads up about the error in ch. 1 related to Monica's restaurant, which I promptly corrected;)

* * *

The trip home was one of the most melancholic Ross had ever spent.  
Rachel kept looking out of the taxi window and, even if she was squeezing Ross's hand, she did not speak to him. He knew very well that she was wrapped up in her thoughts and who knew what terrible memories she was thinking about.  
A song that Ross knew well suddenly began on the radio; it was by _The Killers,_ a brand new band from Las Vegas that was very popular, especially among teenagers.  
Hearing the lyrics, Ross could not help but hate the timing of the DJ in picking that song on that evening that was turning out to be doomed.

 _It started out with a kiss  
How did it end up like this  
It was only a kiss, it was only a kiss  
Now I'm falling asleep  
And she's calling a cab  
While he's having a smoke  
And she's taking a drag  
Now they're going to bed  
And my stomach is sick  
And it's all in my head  
But she's touching his chest  
Now, he takes off her dress  
Now, letting me go  
I just can't look its killing me  
And taking control_

 _Jealousy, turning saints into the sea_  
 _Swimming through sick lullabies_  
 _Choking on your alibis_  
 _But it's just the price I pay_  
 _Destiny is calling me_  
 _Open up my eager eyes_  
 _Cause I'm Mr Brightside_

What was Rachel thinking at that moment?  
Was she imagining him with Chloe? Was she thinking about the evening of their first anniversary and the fatal argument that had caused their _break_? Was she re-evoking the night they had fought after his betrayal and that had led to the ending of their relationship?

Ross didn't have the courage to ask her. When they reached the house, they entered the apartment still in silence and Ross closed the door behind him, letting Rachel decide whether to talk about what had happened. He did not want to force things and he did not feel like starting a dialogue he feared that could lead to their first argument since they had finally got back together.

Although they had talked for a long time about all their problems, when Rachel had decided to get off that plane to get back with him, the subject of Ross's betrayal had never been easy to deal with. Ross knew that it was the biggest mistake of his life and he'd admitted to Rachel that the story of the _break_ was more than anything an excuse he had found with himself – and the others – to alleviate his guilt that tortured him still.

He had told her of all the nights when he still happened to wake up after having a nightmare about the night they had broken up and how finally, now that they were back together, these nightmares were slowly disappearing.

Now, would meeting Chloe by chance compromise everything they had carefully rebuilt in the last three months?

Rachel returned to the living room without shoes, but she had not changed yet. The result was that on that August evening, so hot for the New York summer temperature standards, Ross was sweating partly because of the weather, partly because of the excitement of seeing her dressed in that tight red dress as she walked barefoot, just as he worshipped her.

She had recently cut her hair short again, as when she had been pregnant with Emma and Ross had confessed that, although he adored her long hair, he particularly loved this carefree haircut, because it reminded him of those wonderful months when she was expecting their child.

"Uhm...honey, do you want something to drink?" He asked quietly.

She nodded, still without speaking.

Ross returned a couple of minutes later from the kitchen with a glass of iced tea for both of them.

They sat down on the couch drinking and it didn't take long until Rachel put her glass on the table and finally started to talk.

"Well...it seems that Chloe has a sixth sense to appear during the evenings of our anniversaries." She stated sarcastically.

Ross looked at her in puzzlement. After an hour without uttering a word, she blurted something like that?! He put his glass on the table, too.

"Rachel..." he replied, hesitant.

"I preferred when she was brunette, but I did not have the guts to tell her." She continued, pretending to be nonchalant.

Ross snorted, shaking his head. He didn't know where to begin to address _that_ topic.

Rachel slammed her hand on her thigh, "Argh, You know what really made me mad?! How it doesn't matter to her, at all!"

"What do you mean?" He asked, surprised by her unexpected comment.

"Well...look at the two of us...It's because of that night that we broke up, and then were on again, and then the letter, and then Emily, and then Las Vegas, and then the divorce, and..."

"I know the story, Rachel." Ross interrupted her.

"But her? It meant **nothing** to her, Ross! It was a night of sex, no strings attached. Nothing else."

Ross did not know how much he could go further in this topic, he was afraid to say something _really_ stupid, "Sweetie...Chloe has always been a carefree woman, that night she just wanted to have fun, unfortunately with the wrong man." Ross took a moment to make sure if it was appropriate to continue, and noticing the calm look of Rachel he decided to go on, "I do not remember the details of what happened, I was very, very drunk...But if there is one thing I'm sure of is that it didn't mean anything to me either. In fact, I immediately tried to tell you the next day, didn't I?"

Rachel nodded, "I know. But at that moment I didn't want to and I couldn't forgive you for something like that, do you understand that now?"

"Of course I do. And you had every reason to. Regardless of the circumstances that led to our breakup, I know now what I did and you must know this is a scar that I'll carry in my heart forever. I hope it never happens to her, but maybe there will come a day when our daughter will go through a similar thing and she will ask you if I've ever betrayed you...and you'll have to tell her the truth. I just hope she will not start to hate me. It is one of the things I fear the most."

"Really?" Rachel asked him, looking at Ross and feeling an immense love for him, as she focused only on the positive things for which she loved the man in front of her. The secret he had just told her was such a sweet and intimate detail that she could not help but adore him.

"I'm not the most humble person in this world Rach, I've always had a high opinion of myself in many aspects of my life. I can say that I had a wonderful family, a fantastic sister, an academic and working success, I consider myself a good father...Of course; there is the the small matter of my divorces that spoiled my reputation as a good guy, but..."

Rachel laughed.

"I did some silly things that sometimes almost cost me your respect, like writing that stupid list of pros and cons, or falling asleep during that fashion seminar, or... "

"Hiding from me that you had not asked for the annulment of our marriage?"

Ross laughed, "Yeah!"

"Kissing my sister Jill?"

"Sure!" He nodded, moving his arm in the air to make the concept clear. "The point is that the only mistake I would really like to erase, the only thing I really regret and I am ashamed of, is that night with Chloe."

Rachel nodded, looking down.

"I know it's hard, and I know that every once in a while this thing will come out to torment us again, because even if you think you've forgiven me, you're the one who's suffered the most and I cannot erase the past. God, I wish I could. "

"Ross..."

"No, let me finish. I know you still suffer, and it's fair. I don't blame you. And I won't be angry if there are days when you'll be a little quiet because you're thinking about what happened. The important thing is that, at the end of the day, you remember that I love you so much and that I will never make the mistake of taking you for granted and risking losing you ever again."

Rachel was smiling, "May I speak, now?"

Ross nodded.

"Do you think that my being quiet tonight was due to the fact that I was angry again or that I was thinking about your betrayal again?"

"Well..."

Rachel chuckled, "It's true, meeting Chloe made me think. But about positive things. As I told you, I realized that that night meant absolutely nothing to her. I found myself wondering why we should let the past ruin our future."

Ross looked at her in amazement and sure that he couldn't love her more than that.

"Since Emma was born, I have been hoping for a future for the three of us together as a family. That night in which we conceived her was not just a chance, Ross; to me it immediately counted much more than just a _bonus night_. Remember what I told you when you left the morning after, when the effect of the alcohol had vanished?"

Ross gazed at her, a little annoyed, "I could not find my sweater, so I put my jacket before leaving the room and you asked me to be careful not to get seen by Joey."

Rachel giggled, "Yes, but then I also told you something else."

Ross took her hand and caressed it, "You told me that you'd missed me."

"And what did you tell me?"

"That I'd missed you, too."

"See, that's what I mean... Despite what happened with Chloe, I've never had with other men what I've always shared with you, Ross..." she continued, becoming more serious and putting her hands on his face, "I've never loved anyone else."

"Really?" he asked her, feeling his heart beating faster.

"Mmm-mmm." She nodded.

"Oh, Rach..." Ross shook his head, regretful.

"What?"

"If I think about all the time we've wasted with other people all these years..."

"Well, I've never had any noteworthy boyfriends. Oh well, unless we want to mention Joshua, Tag and Paul..." she counted them with her left hand.

"Oh my God, the _Love Machine_!" Ross laughed, and Rachel did so, since he had told her a few days before about that afternoon spent in Paul's country house and how he had spied on him while Pauls was looking in the mirror and singing _I'm just Love Machine_.

"Shall we really have to tell our daughter that we dated a father and his daughter respectively at the same time?" Ross laughed, thinking back to the brief relationship he had with his ex-student Elizabeth.

"I think we can keep certain details for ourselves, at least until Emma is old enough to have a good laugh at it." Rachel commented, foreseeing a distant future with a thirty-year-old daughter and Ross and her in their sixties.

"By the way, I kind of liked Tag, of all your boyfriends, he was definitely the most...funny!"

"Really? Weren't you jealous of him?" Rachel asked him, smiling and putting her hands behind his neck.

"Not so much, at that time I saw you so…happy and satisfied. Maybe I just knew that your relationship with Tag would not last long, he was too young for you. I was much more jealous of that Seargeant _Sagittarius_ with whom you flirted the night we went out with Monica's Porsche!"

Rachel burst out laughing, "Ha ha, I knew you were jealous! That was just a few days after we had slept together..."

"Yeah... actually, despite pretending not to be affected…inside of me I felt that it had really been an extraordinary night. I wanted to tell you how much I wanted to try and start things over, leave the past behind us, but I was afraid of ruining our friendship...and then..."

"And then...Emma." Rachel whispered, smiling.

"Our greatest gift." He replied, shaking his head, still incredulous of the luck they had. Although Emma had not been _planned_ , since when Ross and Rachel had found out that she was pregnant never for a moment their little one had not been _desired_.

Although they had changed the subject of the conversation, Rachel had not finished confessing all her pains to Ross yet and felt she had to clear all her doubts once and for all.

"Ross..."

"What?"

"It's true, it's all in the past now. And what has been has been. But I have a long list of mistakes to be forgiven for, too. I wasn't perfect. I often think back to what happened that night and sometimes I wonder... if only I had spent ten minutes of my time with you instead of working..."

"Rachel..." Ross shook his head.

"…If only I had denied Mark the chance to come, but he had insisted so much!"

Ross kept shaking his head, not willing to hear what Rachel was saying.

"Or maybe I could have avoided screaming like that! I was the one who asked you for a break, and I didn't even want it! All I did was stirring up your insecurities, and…"

"No! Rach!" Ross stood up and started walking back and forth. "It's true, our relationship was complicated and troubled and that wasn't certainly only my fault. You had your new job that you were so committed to and I was so obsessed with my stupid jealousy…But don't think even for a moment that what happened with Chloe is your fault too!"

Rachel was now crying and she began to nod, while Ross sat down next to her and tried to wipe away her tears. He hated himself for this.

His plan for the evening was to make her the happiest woman in the world by proposing to her, not to make her cry by revealing old terrible memories.

"It's true, when I called you that night and I heard Mark's voice... I started drinking and I panicked. One of the last things I remember is I listened to _With or Without You_. And from that moment on everything is like a blur...I see fragments of a night I hardly remembered anything about the morning after, guess now, after so many years."

Rachel now was looking at him intently, trying to figure out where he wanted to go with that.

"Rachel, what happened with Chloe had **nothing** to do with you, it was just a huge mistake I made after too many beers and the totally wrong belief that our story was over. I did not do it to hurt you!"

Rachel sighed, continuing to cry and nod, but now avoiding Ross's gaze.

"Is this what you thought all those years? That what I had done was like a…revenge to get back at you in some way?"

Rachel shook her head, hoping she would not have to admit it, "I...we never talked about it so openly, I...I never told anyone, not even Monica..."

"But it's true, isn't it?" He asked, urging her to pull out the last piece of the puzzle.

Rachel nodded again and then she burst into tears again.

Ross hugged and squeezed her as hard as he could, letting her pour out her emotions for a few minutes. Rachel could not believe she had taken this huge burden off her heart.

One of the big reasons that had kept her away from Ross for all those years was not the betrayal _per se_ , but the idea that he had done it to hurt her, to make her suffer. She had never had the courage to ask Ross or confide this to anyone. Now she had finally succeeded.

And meeting Chloe had at least served to remove this last secret between them.

When Ross noticed that Rachel had stopped sobbing, he tried to lift her head from his shoulder. He looked at her, trying to convey a reassuring look.

She did not wait another moment to kiss him passionately.

They were transported back in time, wrapped in a kiss like the one they had exchanged after watching the Prom video, when Rachel had finally realized that she wanted to share her life with him.

"I'm sorry, Ross... forgive me for even thinking such a stupid thing."

"You have nothing to be forgiven for. I love you."

"Then please, let me tell you for the first time...I forgive you, Ross. Completely."

Ross looked at her, once again surprised by the huge strength that Rachel could demonstrate in difficult moments, "Are you sure?"

"Yes...I promise, there will never be any strange or disturbing silences in the future, or at least they won't be due to _this_." She laughed. "Whether we were or were not on a break is now irrelevant. I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Ross sighed, smiling and resting his forehead against Rachel's, closing his eyes.

"Are you asking me what I think you're asking?" He demanded, hopefully.

"You think it's not nice when women make the proposal? Monica almost did!" She reminded him, pulling back and inviting him to look at her.

Ross was lost for a moment in her wonderful blue eyes.

"No, no, it's totally fine, and I've had my tons of proposals, anyway." He replied, making Rachel laugh while she wiped away a few tears.

"But there is one thing," he explained, rummaging through the pocket where the ring was still hidden, "I have this."

Rachel watched as Ross opened the blue velvet case and showed her a marvelous engagement ring. He'd had it in his pocket all the time and she hadn't even realized it. Now she could guess how much Chloe's visit had ruined Ross's plans for that evening.

"Now, do you want to kneel or would you rather do it the old fashioned way?" Ross asked her.

Rachel smiled, tears starting to stream down her face again.

"I think...er...it's better if you..." but she could not speak anymore.

"Ok, honey..." Ross went down on one knee in front of the couch.

"You know, there was a time when I thought I would ask you to marry me in the Planetarium, in the middle of a sea of lilies, under a starry sky and with Fred Astaire singing for us..."

Rachel smiled, thinking back to that wonderful night when Ross had revealed to her how he had imagined asking her to marry him. It had been one of those moments when she had realized that her feelings for him had never disappeared.

"Today I know that life is much more real and complex and it confronts us with situations that we never expect, just think about what happened tonight. Actually, I cannot wait to hear what Chandler will have to say about our meeting with Chloe..."

Rachel and Ross chuckled, thinking about the lots of jokes that would certainly be the main subject during the next meeting at the Bings.

"We have traveled a long and winding road to get here. We got on and off again, but in the end...here we are. You gave up the opportunity of a lifetime to stay in New York with me and give our Emma a real family. "

Rachel smiled at the tender way of referring to Emma like _theirs_.

"Now everything seems to be perfect, with your new job, my tenure, Emma...But something is still missing to make it even more perfect, don't you think?"

"Yep. I was the first to suggest it." she smirked.

"I don't know every detail about the future that awaits us, but all you need to know is that I'm here, on my knee in front of you. I will do anything to make you happy and I will spend the rest of my life loving you, as you deserve. I want to make you realize how glad I am that you are the woman I got to share my life with, and how lucky I was many years ago to see you entering _Central Perk_ in that sexy wedding dress."

Rachel smiled, thinking about that day in September of ten years before.

"So, I just have one thing left to ask... Rach, will you marry me?"

Rachel looked at him intently and then kissed him softly, "Yes, Ross."

He smiled like he had done only a very few times before in his life and put the ring on her finger, watching her as she contemplated the jewel.

They both stood up and embraced, staying together for a few minutes, whispering sweet "I love you" and "Thank you" in their ears.

"Well, maybe it wasn't such a bad thing to meet that woman tonight..." Rachel commented when she finally pulled away from the hug but without moving her arms from Ross's back.

"Why?"

"Now that we've been through the whole break issue, we can focus on the last real problem that remains to be solved before our wedding," she explained, seriously.

"What?" Ross asked, without understanding.

"After the divorce, you didn't pay me alimony for five years, Ross Geller! And now, you just assume that I will marry you, again?"

Ross burst out laughing.

Here it was, _his Rachel_. Superb, stylish, incredibly funny.

And she was about to become his wife.

"Oh, I love you." He said, kissing her passionately and taking her by the hand, moving towards the corridor.

"No more than I do, honey." She replied, while Ross dragged her into their bedroom.

* * *

 _Well, for now this is over, I don't know if I will go on, but I like it this way._  
 _I just love when they talk about their past in a civil way and decide to forgive each other, you know. And I just ship them so much!_

 _ **Song: Mr. Brightside - The Killers**_


	3. Good Secrets

I think I'm going on with this, even if I don't know where.

Once again, thanks for the reviews and thanks to **Babatomyfriends** who's helping me with the language. If you want, check out the previous chapters because I've updated them with major mistakes corrections.

This is another reflection/confession chapter. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

Rachel and Ross were sitting comfortably on the couch; Emma was sound asleep in her room.

It was half past ten and they were watching _A few Good Men_ , one of Ross's favorite movies. Rachel remembered that during their year of dating they used to watch it very often and, even if _Weekend at Bernie's_ kept a soft spot in her heart (she laughed so hard everytime!), she had to admit that movies like that were real masterpieces.

The first time Ross had made her watch it, she'd cried at the end. Tom Cruise was just fabulous in it, and Jack Nicholson was amazing as usual. Tonight they were taking advantage of the fact that Emma had fallen asleep sooner than usual because they'd spent the afternoon at Monica and Chandler's house in Westchester and the little girl had been playing with her uncle and aunt for hours, getting really tired.

Rachel was really enjoying that moment of tenderness between them and she was happy to spend a night just the two of them, doing something as ordinary as watching a movie together.

On the screen, a very young Kevin Bacon started to interrogate his witness Noah While – portraying Corporal Jeffrey Barnes. Rachel knew that Ross particularly liked that part of the movie.

All of a sudden, coming from nowhere, a thought came to her mind.

"Ross."

"Mmm." He murmured, focused on the film.

"Tell me something I don't know." She requested him.

Ross took a glimpse at her, "Well, I could tell you something about the Plateosaurus who lived during the Late Triassic period." He answered, teasing her.

Rachel giggled, "No, I mean…I was thinking. We've talked so much since we've got back together, but…do you still keep secrets from me?" Noticing that he was getting scared, she immediately corrected herself, "Good secrets, I mean?"

Ross took the remote control and turned off the tv while Tom Cruise was starting to ask his questions to Noah While. He _really_ loved that part, but the movie could wait.

"Uhm, let's see."

Rachel saw Ross pondering her question, so she smiled. He was definitely coming up with something.

"Remember ten years ago, the week we played poker all together?"

"Yeah." She answered, moving on the couch to sit better to face him.

"There was that last night, when we played at your apartment, you were also waiting for the answer about that job interview."

"Yes." She remembered very well. That had been the first time she'd been disappointed when that job interview at Sak's hadn't gone well and she'd been rejected.

"Well, on the last hand, it was just you against me and you beat me."

"Of course I did." She interrupted him, smiling "I was so happy; you were so full of yourself that night. What did you say? _When I play poker, I'm not a nice guy_." She laughed at him.

"Oh well, I was just a jerk. I was so in love with you back then, I guess I was just trying to impress you. The guys used to mock me so much because I pretended not be affected by you, but I just couldn't…God, you were so amazing…"

"Really? All that time?" she smiled at him that cute smile of hers and she took his hands in hers.

"Anyway…the truth is…I actually let you win."

Rachel stared at him in disbelief, "What?"

"I couldn't stand the idea that you were so sad for the job, I wanted you to be satisfied and proud of yourself. So I…lied. You had a full, I had a flush."

Rachel remembered how it had happened and then she recalled that Ross had never actually _told_ her what cards he had, he'd just said that _she got him_.

Rachel shook her head, "I can't believe this…You lost all that money!"

"Like 70 bucks. But it was worth it, Rach." He grinned at her.

"Honey, that's so sweet. I wasn't even kind to you that night, I kept calling you names!"

"Just what this _monkey boy_ deserved after that stupid chauvinist speech."

Rachel laughed and bent over a bit to give Ross a little peck on the lips.

"Now, your turn!" he asked Rachel, suddenly happy that they had started that conversation.

"Well, I have to think about it!"

"Com'on, you've started this and you didn't even have something ready?" Ross complained, jokingly.

"All right, all right. Remember that pizza delivery girl you couldn't flirt with?"

"Caitlin? I went out with her a couple of times, but we never hit it off. Why?"

Rachel smiled, "Well, when I gave you her number you thought that she didn't give it to me by chance, you were sure that I had something to do with it."

"And?" he invited her to go on.

Rachel nodded, "And…in fact, I did."

"I KNEW it." Ross made a huge smile.

"Well, I ran after her on the street and I told her that you had problems with the…flirting thing and that you were a nice guy."

"What did you say to convince her?" Ross asked her, curious.

Rachel tried to remember the exact words, "Well, it's been a long time, but…I guess I told her that you were sweet, funny and that you had a good heart. I told her that you liked her. Oh, and I told her that you were worth a shot!"

Ross was still smiling, "Wasn't she wondering why a woman was running after her to ask for her phone number for a male friend?"

Rachel sighed, "Well, she was curious about why I didn't go out with you, if you were so great."

Ross laughed, "What did you tell her?"

"Well, that in due time we may have needed to have a longer conversation. What was I supposed to tell her? _We-were-on-a-break, No-we-weren't_?!"

Ross burst out laughing.

"This is probably one of the sweetest things you've ever done for me, Rach. Thank you."

"Oh, you're welcome, honey."

Ross started to stroke her arms, that he so adored.

"Did you still have feelings for me at that time?"

Rachel was a bit caught by surprise by his question, "Well, I suppose I did. But, you know, I was trying to keep them under control, you had just been divorced and I felt that it wasn't the right moment to give us another chance. Of course, I had no idea that a few weeks later we would get married in Vegas."

"What a night! I've never been that drunk again in my entire life!" Ross laughed.

"What?" Rachel asked him, "Ross, what about that time we had dinner here with Joey and Charlie and you pretended to be _fine_? You were much drunker, trust me."

Ross nodded and immediately stopped laughing. Rachel knew that she had brought up a very delicate subject, but she thought they were mature enough and ready to talk about it.

Two months before they had faced a nightmare when they had met Chloe. But later they had discussed it, and they had managed to finally solve their most terrible _unfinished business_ (the break up). Ross had asked Rachel to marry him and everything since then had been even more perfect than before.

Maybe now they could also talk about the whole _Joey affair_ without fighting.

"Rach, is this a _good_ secret?" he asked her, grabbing her hand in his and stroking it.

Rachel knew exactly what he was talking about; he didn't need to clarify his question.

"I think so. You have to know this, Ross; I've never _loved_ him."

He shook his head, "It's very unlikely for a woman not to love Joey Tribbiani."

"Why?" she asked him, a bit bothered.

"Because…you know, he's Joey. He's the best…I mean, he's great, you know? When he told me that you two were actually feeling something for each other, the only thing I could think was that I felt like dying, but then I realized that if I really had to let you go, you couldn't be in better hands."

"Yeah…" Rachel smiled, "Joey is the sweetest. And he's funny, caring and cute. You're right; any other woman would be very lucky to get with him. But not _this_ woman. As soon as things got really serious, I felt how wrong that was."

"You mean…you didn't…"

Ross didn't have the courage to say that word, so Rachel finished the sentence for him.

"Sex is a tricky business, honey. And it can be a mess if you do it with the wrong person."

Ross thought carefully about the little information he got about Rachel and Joey's short relationship, all given to him by his sister.

"Rach, Monica told me that you only had two dates with Joey…"

"Yep." Rachel nodded.

"And yet, you didn't sleep with him?"

"Nope."

"But…we…I mean, when we were dating back then, **our** second date was a disaster, and **yet**..."

Rachel hushed him with a passionate kiss, which reminded them both of those kisses they had shared that night at the Planetarium under the _stars_.

"That was one of the best nights of my entire life, Ross."

"Oh, well." he commented, making her giggle.

Rachel came back to her senses, "After our first dinner together, I spoke with Monica and Chandler about my insecurities. Monica was sure that I was just nervous, like when you and I were going out together on our first date. Remember how I laughed at you?"

Ross smiled, "How would I forget?" he replied, playfully.

"Well, I tried to convince myself that she was right. Actually my second date with Joey wasn't a real date, we didn't even get out, we just tried to…you know…" Rachel moved her hands to mimic the act.

"I don't need a mental image, Rach." Ross stopped her.

"Well, all you have to know is that after a very clumsy attempt at seduction from me, Joey spent all night with an ice-bucket on his _misters_."

"Uh…" Ross tried to imagine what might have happened, but he actually didn't need to know.

"We were very confused and we asked Chandler if he and Monica ever had problems when they became more than friends. But he told us that for them it was a natural thing. That it always felt right."

"And you never mentioned... _us_?"

Rachel shook her head, "I thought it wasn't fair to him. But I'm pretty sure that Joey and I both thought about it. It was so obvious that before Monica and Chandler, there was a _Ross_ _and_ _Rachel_ , and we all know that it was perfect."

Ross nodded, understanding her point of view.

"Later Joey told me that maybe Chandler and Monica had been able to become more than friends because they weren't as good friends as we were. And that was it."

"And that's all?" Ross wondered.

"Yes. I think deep inside of me I've always known, but that was the moment I realized that what Joey and I had was just physical attraction. I guess Joey maybe felt something deeper for me, but it disappeared after that evening. We both felt it was so wrong whenever we tried to move it further. When he touched me, it was like…I don't know, it felt like being with a brother. That's the kind of love that we share."

"You never slept with him." Ross repeated, like a mantra for his soul.

Rachel smiled, "No, I didn't. I guess you are relieved now, aren't you?"

"It's just…I don't want to say that you going out with Joey was like cheating, Rach…we weren't together back then and you were free to do anything you wanted. I don't want to compare it to what **I** did, I would never dare."

She nodded; she knew that Ross had learned from his mistakes. Moreover, she was glad that Ross had finally begun to talk about his night with Chloe as a _betrayal_.

"But it hurt, Rach. A lot."

"I know, honey. I'm sorry. I thought that was what I wanted, but now I realize it was just me denying my real feelings. It wasn't easy, living with Joey after our terrible fight over Gavin and that guy from the bar…I really thought we were over."

Ross nodded, "It was all my fault. I should have been honest with you that night and told you that I wanted to start things over, that I loved you and that I was jealous because I wanted to be with you. Instead, I let you go away and made you believe that I agreed with the idea of you moving out. Stupid stubbornness."

Rachel smiled sadly, "Well, looks like we had wasted many chances to get back together during the years, didn't we?"

"The important thing is that we are together now. It's the only thing that matters. And we're getting married in a few months, as I've always wanted." Ross confessed.

"Fourth time is a charm." Rachel joked.

"And…You will have something in common with Liz Taylor."

"Then you're my Richard Burton!"

They both laughed.

"Now, your turn again. Other good secrets for me?" Rachel asked Ross.

Ross thought about a nice thing connected to their wedding.

"Oh, yeah, this is great! When Phoebe and Mike were planning their wedding, they decided to give all the money for the ceremony to charity."

"Yeah, but then Phoebe changed her mind because she realized she wanted a traditional wedding." Rachel remembered.

"Not at first. When she had the idea, Chandler and I were at _Central Perk_ discussing with Mike and her about this, we were joking as usual about my… _inclination_ to get married."

Rachel nodded, smiling with amused approval.

"When I told Phoebe that I thought giving the money to charity was an incredible gesture, Chandler urged me to do the same the next time I got married."

"What?!" Rachel almost screamed, now preoccupied that Ross might want to do that with _their_ wedding.

"Let me finish." Ross chuckled, sensing that she was getting afraid to lose the chance to get her big day "I said that I wouldn't, because the next time, I wanted to be a Hawaii at sunset."

Rachel and Ross hadn't talked about the location for the wedding, yet. They had chosen the date and decided to get married in July, so to have almost a year to get everything well planned (with Monica's help, of course).

"That sounds so romantic, Ross!"

"Well, when I thought about it I pictured in my head a very different ceremony than all the ones we all had. Monica and Chandler got married in May and it was just perfect, Pheeb's had the snow, my wedding in London was cold and kind of gloomy – and sincerely I just want to forget everything about it. Hawaii at sunset seems so hot, bright and festive!"

Rachel smiled, "I'm sure it'll be."

"So, it's a yes?"

"Yes, I love the idea. It's not so different than a cliff in Barbardos, you know." She noticed, thinking about the time they had pretended to be married at the Gellers 35th anniversary party.

"Much less humidity. Just think about Monica's hair!"

Rachel laughed and put her arms around Ross's neck, "And tell me, did you picture your wife's dress when you exposed this wonderful idea of yours to Chandler?"

"Well, let me think…" Ross used his hand to move Rachel's hair behind her ear, "She usually walks down the aisle with a hideous pink dress that makes her look like _Princess Bubble Yum_ , and the dress is bunched up in her underwear and her butt is showing."

Rachel giggled and slapped him tenderly on the shoulder.

"You've always thought we were gonna end up together, didn't you?" she asked him.

Ross shook his head, "Honestly, there were moments I seriously doubted it. But in my heart I always hoped."

Rachel nodded, "You told me."

"When?"

"Years ago, when we were dating. Once you said that you knew that we were gonna end up together."

Ross sighed, surprised "How can you remember that?"

Rachel shrugged, "You remember about the poker, I remember this."

"That's just because that's the day I said that I loved you for the first time." He teased her.

Rachel was flattered to see how much Ross still cared about those little details of their relationship. The hopeless romantic, he still remembered everything, just like her.

"So, what else do you keep from me?"

"Mmm…" Rachel thought if she had already told him about this, but she hadn't yet, "Ok, the night I went out with Kash Ford, that actor who worked with Joey?"

Ross nodded, "Yeah, the idiot who brought up hemorrhoids when you said you were pregnant?"

"The genius." Rachel chuckled, "Well, you and I met after my date and you cheered me up, then you went to Central Perk and asked me if I wanted to come with you, but I told you that I wanted to go home. So you went there alone and you met Mona for the first time after Monica and Chandler's wedding."

Ross was intrigued, "How do you know about that?"

Rachel smiled, "When you were trying to console me, you said that I didn't have to worry about guys anymore because soon I would have something that I would love more than any man I'd ever gone out with."

"Sounds like me." Ross said, trying to recall the dialogue.

"Well, that was the same moment my feelings for you started to really come back, Ross. I changed my mind and I followed you because I wanted to grab that cup of coffee. I thought that maybe we could talk and see where things would lead. We were having a baby together and we were getting closer again. I was sure it was the right moment."

"Oh my god…you mean that if it wasn't for Mona…we could have been together since then?"

Rachel nodded sadly again, "Maybe."

Ross sighed, "How can this be a good secret, Rach?"

"Well, I saw you with Mona so I just looked at you from the door, then I went home. But those things you said made me realize that there would never be other men in my life but you, Ross. Yes, I would love my baby more than anything in this world, but that's because Emma was also **your** baby."

Ross stared at her in awe, filled with respect and gratitude.

"When I found out that I was pregnant I was scared, but then I realized that you were the father. And I thought, _it's supposed to be like that_. So, yes, that night we lost an opportunity to get back together, but I understood how much I still loved you."

Ross put his hands on her face and slowly leaned over to kiss Rachel. He was speechless. Never would he have imagined hearing such wonderful revelations coming from his fiancée.

He'd always been sure to be the more in love in their couple, to be the more romantic. Maybe because Rachel had always been difficult to read back in the first year of their relationship. But they were younger, then. They were two adults now and they had both learned to talk about their feelings and their doubts. They knew that fear and resentment can eat you alive, if you are not honest and trustful.

"I really don't know what I did to deserve you and Emma in my life, Rach. I love you both so much. You know that, don't you?"

"Ross, I didn't tell you all this to challenge you. I just – felt that I needed to."

"I know. I'm just glad you did, because for some months now I keep feeling that I'm falling in love with you all over again."

"Same here, honey."

They hugged tenderly.

"Same here." She whispered again in his ear.


	4. Someone to watch over me

After watching the extended version of the episodes I'm starting to develop a whole new attitude towards Ross and Rachel. I think that I love them even more.

For this next chapter I had what I hope is a brilliant idea, so enjoy it.

Reviews are always appreciated!

RT

* * *

Ross entered Sandra Green's house and greeted his mother-in-law-to-be with a smile on his face.

"Good evening, Sandra!"

"Hello, dear!" she hugged him, back.

"How's Emma doing?"

"Wonderful, she woke up from her nap just a couple of hours ago and we went out for a walk. We went to the playground and she had fun with some friends."

"Oh, she has friends? Hi sweetie!" Ross exclaimed, seeing his daughter walking towards him across the leaving room.

"Daddy!"

Ross took her in his arms and kissed her forehead.

"Yes, there are a few friends of mine who took their grandchildren to the playground, so Emma usually plays with those kids."

"I'm glad she is bonding with other children, Monica's babies are so much younger than her and she loves Ben, but he's much older than Emma and he's more in the play station phase, you know?"

Ross took Emma's bag and headed for the door, anxious to get home to see Rachel after a long day of work.

"So, when are you bringing Emma again?"

"Uhm…on Thursday, I guess?"

"Right. Oh, I almost forgot. I've got something for Rachel." Sandra stopped Ross before he could leave. The woman disappeared into the house and came back a few seconds later with a videotape in her hands.

"What is it?" Ross asked her, with a questioning look on his face.

"Barry dropped by to deliver his invitation and gave me this."

"I can't believe he's getting married again. I think he could actually beat my record!" Ross joked, and Sandra smiled. With time, she had actually started to understand and like her future son-in-law's sense of humor.

"Well, when he asked me to deliver this to Rachel, he said you two might enjoy it."

"Ok…"

Ross wasn't very convinced, but Emma was starting to get tired of being in her father's arms, so he kissed Sandra goodbye and walked towards his car.

* * *

Rachel was already home when Ross and Emma arrived. The little girl walked to greet her mother with a hug and a lot of kisses.

"Hello sweetheart, did you have fun with grandma?"

Emma nodded while her mother held her in her arms and raised her from the floor. Rachel waited for Ross to lay the bag on the couch, then she walked towards him.

"Hey, you." She said, kissing him tenderly.

"Hi. Sorry it took us so long, the traffic was terrible this evening." Ross explained, caressing her back with his hands.

"It doesn't matter. I ordered Chinese for dinner." She smiled at him, while Emma was playing with her necklace.

"Perfect." He said, giving her another soft peck on the lips and taking Emma from her arms. "Honey, do you want to play with your toy blocks?"

Emma walked to her own spot of the living room. Ross and Rachel had assembled an open playpen to let Emma go in and out as much as she wanted. She could find all her favorite toys inside of it, such as stuffed animals, toy blocks, books and dolls.

"Oh, Rach, your mother gave me something for you."

"What's that?" she asked, looking at the VHS Ross was taking from the bag.

"She said that Barry gave it to her."

"Barry?" Rachel was surprised, "Why would Barry want me to have a videotape?"

Rachel took the videotape from Ross's hands to inspect it better, but it had no writings on it.

"Let's find out." Ross told her.

"Ok." Rachel wasn't certain she wanted to watch this video, but she was definitely curious.

As soon as the video started, a title appeared to explain to Ross and Rachel what the VHS was about.

 _Barry and Mindy wedding_

 _16 May 1996_

"Oh my God!" Rachel screamed.

"What the-" Ross was as astonished as she was.

"Is this supposed to be a joke? Why would he want me to have this?!"

"Apparently he told Sandra that _we might enjoy this_." Ross explained.

"Could we BE enjoying this more?!" Rachel snorted, imitating Chandler's tone and waving her hand in the air, pointing at the screen.

The video was very old; in fact, eight years had passed.

Rachel couldn't believe Barry's insolence. This was such an impudence.

The cameraman indulged himself with keeping the camera on the groom and then he started to shoot images of the bridesmaids walking down the aisle.

The last one was Rachel, with her awful _Little Bo Peep_ pink dress. Of course, as soon as the cameraman noticed that her dress was bunched up in her underwear and her butt was showing, he zoomed to shoot the entire scene.

Ross started to laugh out loud.

"Ah-ah, very funny." Rachel commented.

"Come on, it really was! I didn't laugh back then, let me laugh at least now!" Ross said, grabbing her hand and kissing it.

The video included parts of the ceremony, with the _I dos_ and the first kiss of Barry and Mindy as husband and wife. Then there was a cut to the reception with images of the best man's toast.

"Oh no." Rachel sighed, hiding her face in her hands.

The best man was one of Barry's best friends, John. Rachel knew him because she used to hang out with him and his girlfriend when she was Barry's fiancée.

" _I remember when Barry got home from his first date with Rachel...What, you hired the same band I can't use the same speech?"_

Ross stared at Rachel as they heard the drummer playing to accompany the man's joke.

" _Thank you, thank you very much. Anyway, I wish you both a wonderful life together. And Rachel..."  
"What?" she asked, still feeling humiliated.  
"No, no, no now in all seriousness, it's not a lot of women would've had the guts to come back here tonight, and even fewer, who would do it with their asses hanging out!"_

Rachel looked back at Ross as the video continued, "Such a nice guy."

"Can't you see why your father would prefer you to marry a man of that status rather than me?"

Rachel giggled and watched back at the TV, because the cameraman had shot also Ross's speech.

" _Most of you don't know me, I'm Rachel's boyfriend."  
"Oh dear God…" Rachel sighed.  
"Ross, uh and uh, I'd just like to say that it did take a lot of courage for Rachel to come here tonight. And, uh, for the record she did not run out on Barry because she had syphilis."_

 _When the drummer played again, Ross glared at him, "What are you doing I'm serious. Uh, the reason she walked out on, on Barry is simply that she didn't love him, which incidentally worked out pretty well for me…"_

 _Ross looked at the drummer, waiting for the da-doom-chesh to go with his joke, but the man didn't follow his lead._

 _"Uh...so to review: Rachel... took a lot of courage... doesn't have the syphilis... and wound up... with me. Cheers!"_

"I don't know if you did improve my situation with your speech, honey. But you certainly were my hero when you stood up in front of those people to defend me."

"I know, you told me later."

Rachel smiled and leaned over Ross to kiss him.

The videotape continued and showed Rachel while she ran towards the door and Barry making the awful joke about her leaving again from the wedding.

Then the cameraman followed Rachel until she reached the stage and the microphone.

" _Ya, know what Barr, I'm not gonna leave. I probably should, but I'm not, see 'cause I promised myself that I would make it through at least ONE of your weddings"_

 _That line got a well-deserved da-doom-chesh from the drummer and laughs from the guests._

Ross and Rachel looked at each other, smiling. Ross remembered how proud he'd been of her in that moment, he was mesmerized by her beauty and her courage. And today he was actually reliving that memory all over again. He didn't know why, but he took Rachel's hand in his one.

" _See now, tonight, all I really wanted was to make it through this evening with a little bit of grace and dignity. Well, I guess we can all agree that's not gonna happen."_

The cameraman indulged for a couple of seconds to shoot the guests and he captured a few frames of Monica and Richard, who were sitting at the table next to the stage, laughing at Rachel's joke. Ross gave a sad look to Rachel, because he remembered what had happened soon after those moments of fun.

" _There's nothing really left to say except..."_

 _And then Rachel started to sing, soon joined by the band who startled her by starting to play._

 _"Her name was Lola. She was a showgirl. With yellow feathers – feathers in her hair, and a dress cut down to there. She would..."  
Seeing that she wasn't remembering the lyrics, Ross helped her, "Merengue."  
"Merengue – thank you honey - And do the cha-cha. And while she like to be a star, Tony always tended bar. At the, wait, wait, everybody!"  
"Everybody!" Ross screamed. All the guests started to sing along, while Ross took a pink rose from the bouquet on the wall and reached Rachel on the stage to give it to her.  
"At the Copa, Copa Cabana! The hottest spot north of Havana. At the Copa, Copa Caba-na, music and fashion were always the passion, at the Copa…they fell in love…"_

 _As soon as they sang this last sentence, Ross kissed Rachel and all the people in the room started to applaud. The band stopped playing and the cameraman turned back to shoot images of Barry and Mindy, who were now up from their chairs, applauding too._

 _People in the room started to shout, "Kiss! Kiss!" to the newlyweds, so the groom and the bride kissed each other._

Ross was still holding Rachel's hand and was very touched by what they had just seen. He was silently thanking Barry for the idea of giving Rachel this video. They really had to call him to thank him for the gesture. Ross had never actually spoken with him, he was one of Rachel's ex-boyfriends and he didn't particularly like him. But now he had realized that Barry was capable of doing amazing things. Giving this video to Sandra for Rachel was an enormous gift, especially considering that he hadn't seen Rachel for years.

"Can you believe how embarrassing that was?" Rachel asked Ross, hiding the tears forming at the corner of her eyes.

"I think that was astounding, just like everything you do." Ross replied, making a nod in the direction of their daughter who was still enjoying her toys in her playpen.

Rachel blushed and squeezed his hand a little bit more.

But the video wasn't over yet.

The images were now focusing on the bride and groom dancing on the slow and tender notes of _Someone To Watch Over Me_ , they seemed to be very in love. Rachel thought that it was a pity that their marriage didn't work out. Again, the cameraman moved his shot and got a perfect frame of Ross and Rachel, who were dancing not far from Barry and Mindy. The pink rose that Ross had gotten for her was now in Rachel's hair. They looked happy and so in love with one another.

Rachel thought that they looked invincible together. That had truly been one of the best days of their lives. Ross was saying something in her ear and Rachel was laughing.

The two of them looked at each other, thinking about that moment that seemed lost in time.

 _..._

 _There's a somebody I'm longin' to see  
I hope that he turns out to be  
Someone who'll watch over me_

 _I'm a little lamb who's lost in the wood  
I know I could always be good  
Someone who'll watch over me_

 _Ross and Rachel were swaying slowly, following the rhythm of the music. The band was playing a tune as old as time, Someone to watch over me. The attention of the guests was focused on the bride and the groom, but Ross and Rachel were too involved in their dance to notice anyone in the room at that moment. Rachel's head rested delicately under Ross's chin, her right hand was grabbed in his left while he carried out their movements on the floor. She felt the luckiest woman in the world._

 _Barry and Mindy were doing the same thing a few inches from them and Rachel couldn't help but thinking that if she hadn't found the courage to run away the day of her wedding, the woman dancing with Dr. Farber might have been her._

 _And Rachel was so relieved that she was instead held in Ross's arms._

 _Today, after all the support he had demonstrated, all the love he had showed when he'd told all these people the true reasons why she had left Barry and after he had sung with her on the stage, she had eventually realized that she would never let him go._

 _He was the love of her life. He was her everything._

" _Rach?" Ross called her back from her reverie._

" _Yes, honey?"_

" _What do you think they are talking about?"_

 _Ross made a hint with his head towards Monica and Richard, who were dancing next to Barry and Mindy. They seemed to be involved into a deep serious conversation and Monica didn't look calm as usual._

 _Rachel stared back at Ross with a sad look on her face._

" _Should I worry?" he asked her._

" _Well…Monica spoke with Richard about the fact that she wants to have babies and they didn't have the same opinion about it…"_

" _Oh my God…Rach, this could kill her." Ross said, now very worried for his sister._

" _I know…I guess this is something they need to figure out before it's too late."_

 _Although he may not be  
The man some girls think of as handsome  
To my heart he carries the key  
He carries the key_

 _Ross nodded and Rachel caressed his face, "You know, I love the fact that you and Monica are still so connected to each other. I think it's one of the thing I love the most about you. You are such a caring brother."_

 _Ross chuckled, "Thank you…But it's not something I can actually take credit for, Monica is just the most amazing and lovely human being. It's so easy to love her."_

" _Yeah, I know." Rachel smiled._

" _Rach…" Ross kept dancing, "I know that you got scared the first time we talked about our future together and…moving out of the city…and having babies."_

 _Rachel nodded and stared intently at him._

" _But…I've got to tell you. I still think about all those things. And I can't wait for them to happen."_

" _You know what?" she answered, remembering her former epiphany_ _about Ross being the true love of her life, "Those things don't scare me as much as they did before. I mean, it's times like these you learn what you really need. Today you stood by my side, I mean, you also got on the stage with me to sing that ridiculous song!"_

 _Ross laughed and Rachel stopped their movements to take his face in her hands._

" _I'll never love anyone like I love you right now, Ross. You are my soul mate. And whatever happens, this is never going to change."_

 _Ross didn't waste another second to kiss her and to start dancing again._

 _Won't you tell him, please, to put on some speed  
Follow my lead oh, how I need  
Someone to watch over me_

 _He moved his lips to her ear to tell her, "One day we are going to dance Copacabana together at our wedding."_

 _Rachel burst out laughing and Ross saw sparkles in her eyes that made him understand that she was in love with him just as much as he was in love with her._

 _The song was over and the guests started to applaud, but the smile on Ross and Rachel's faces didn't last long. Richard moved past Barry and Mindy to reach Ross and put a hand on his shoulder._

" _Ross, please, take care of your sister."_

 _So said, he squeezed his shoulder and, tears forming at the corner of his eyes, he left the room. Ross and Rachel looked at each other without understanding what was happening, but when they saw Monica sitting at her table crying on her own, they realized that the worst thing possible had happened._

" _Honey, what's going on?" Rachel asked her best friend._

" _It's…it's over." She replied, reaching for Rachel._

" _Ross…" Rachel implored him, while holding Monica in her arms._

" _I'm going to call a cab…"_

...

Rachel and Ross noticed that the video was over because the TV screen was now black.

They both had been lost in their thoughts, probably recalling memories of that moment and what it had meant to them.

That had been the first time that Rachel had actually revealed to Ross how much she really loved him. And it had also been the first time that Ross had mentioned his intention to actually get married to her. And yet, so many years had been wasted.

"Oh, Ross…" Rachel murmured.

"I know." Ross whispered.

She shook her head, "But I meant everything I said that day."

Ross took Rachel's hand in his and they stood up from the couch.

"I'm still your soul mate?"

"You've always been." She assured him.

Ross smiled, "Fine. Because I meant what I said too." He grinned.

Ross waved his hands to ask Rachel to wait for him and walked towards the closet where they kept the CDs. After one minute, he took one disc and ran towards the stereo to put it on.

He selected the track he wanted to play and raised the volume.

A very well-known tune began to play and Rachel smiled as soon as she recognized it.

She laughed out loud, "What are you doing?"

Ross moved the couch back to make some space in the room, then he offered his hand to Rachel.

"You said we would dance this to our wedding!"

"I know" Rachel put her hands in Ross's, "But there's the rehearsal!".

Ross dragged Rachel to him and they looked at each other, trying to get serious as Barry Manilow began to sing.

 _Her name was Lola, she was a showgirl  
With yellow feathers in her hair and a dress cut down to there  
She would merengue and do the cha-cha  
And while she tried to be a star  
Tony always tended bar_

Ross and Rachel were dancing in rhythm and every now and then he would make her twirl. They sang together and it didn't take them long to start laughing.

Emma watched the scene with curiosity; she'd never seen her parents dancing and she started to laugh as well.

 _Across the crowded floor, they worked from eight til four  
They were young and they had each other  
Who could ask for more?_

 _At the copa, Copacabana (Copacabana)  
The hottest spot north of Havana (here)  
At the copa, Copacabana  
Music and passion were always the fashion  
At the copa  
 **They fell in love**_

When Ross listened to this sentence, he took Rachel in his arms and he almost dropped her to the floor and kissed her.

Emma laughed even more when she saw her father doing this and she called him, coming out from her playpen and walking towards her parents.

"Honey, you want to dance too?" Ross asked her, taking his daughter in his arms.

The three started to sway all together in rhythm and Emma kept laughing and screaming excitedly. As the song went on, though, Rachel realized something.

"Ross…But for _Lola_ and _Tony_ it didn't end very well, you know?"

Ross smiled, "But Rach, we followed Barry Manilow's last advice; we didn't fall in love AT the Copa, and besides…who cares about the lyrics anyway?"

Rachel laughed again, watching her little daughter having fun.

"Ok, you win…As long as we have _With or Without_ for the cake cutting." Rachel instructed him, still twirling around with Emma who was now in her arms.

"And _Wicked Games_ for our first dance as husband and wife." Ross announced, keeping the rhythm and moving his head in time with the music.

"But after those…It's _Copacabana_ time, fellas! At least the guests will have a funny tune to do the conga with!"

Emma laughed out loud when Rachel threw her in the air, immediately catching the little girl in her arms. Ross's smile grew when he heard the wonderful sound of his daughter's laughter.

"And maybe we will also ask the DJ for Sir Mix-a-Lot's _Baby got back_ for our Emma, won't we honey?" Ross asked Emma, taking her from Rachel's hands into his and hugging her tenderly.

Rachel giggled, "And that's the moment all the remaining guests will leave the party due to our insanity!"

"Well, if they didn't think we were insane when we had a daughter out of wedlock but we lived together even if we weren't actually _in love_ " Ross said this making the quote marks with his fingers, "I think we already covered any eventual issue about how much crazy we have possibly been in the past, sweetie."

"That is so true." Rachel agreed. "And by the way, it's up to the bride and the groom to choose their favorite music, isn't it? Who cares what the others think."

"That's the spirit honey."

* * *

 **Songs:**

 **Copacabana (Written by: Barry Manilow)**

 **Someone To Watch Over Me (Written by: George & Ira Gershwin)  
**


	5. Paleontology Issues

Hi, here's another chapter.

Thank you for the very kind reviews, I didn't really expect such a warm welcome to this fan fiction. This is pushing me to go on with the story.

I wanted to write something angst, but I'm not really into it. I think Ross and Rachel are over their major problems. But this doesn't mean there can't be some misunderstanding and some funny scene in store for them ;) I hope you enjoy this one!

A huge thank to **Babatomyfriends,** who's become my betaangel. She's helping me to improve this fiction, with the result that if you read it for the second time, you'll find much less mistakes because of her =)

* * *

The months had passed, Christmas had almost arrived and Rachel hadn't even noticed.

Life with Ross and Emma had started to go by with a daily comfortable routine and they couldn't be happier. The little girl was growing so fast, learning new words every day and developing her motor skills. Ross was such a proud father that he often took Emma to work with him, only to show her to his colleagues.

Two weeks before Christmas, though, Ross had come home with a shocking news that had startled Rachel and made her worry for the first time about their relationship since the night she'd decided to get off that plane.

"Guess who's coming to NYU as a speaker for a paleontology convention?" Ross told her, oblivious about the issues that this subject would raise during the following days.

"Who?" Rachel asked, while she was feeding Emma sitting at her chair.

"Julie."

Rachel stared at Ross in disbelief, "Ju-Julie? Julie as in…your ex-girlfriend Julie?!"

"Yeah." He replied, smiling.

"Julie. I mean, the Julie you-almost-bought-a-cat-with, Julie."

Ross sensed that Rachel was getting nervous and behaving weirdly, "That's the one, I guess?" he said, trying to sound ironic.

"I didn't know she still lived in New York." Rachel tried to hide her disappointment.

"She isn't, actually, she's coming as a guest for two seminars and she's staying a couple of days. She doesn't know anyone at NYU, so I offered to show her around."

"So nice of you." Rachel told him, feigning a smile of approbation.

"Is…is it ok for you? I mean, I haven't seen her in almost ten years, but at least she'll have a friend in town to be in touch with."

"Of course, honey! I mean, if she really doesn't have anyone else to rely on! Did you tell her about us?"

Ross shook his head, "Well, we didn't have time to talk about our personal life, we only wrote each other a couple of e-mails."

Rachel felt a stab in her back. Why hadn't Ross told Julie about them? They were getting married in a few months and he hadn't even mentioned this to his former girlfriend, one of the women that had caused them to be apart for months when he had come back from China.

Maybe she was seeing too much in this, she was just exaggerating, but she couldn't help but feel betrayed by Ross's behavior.

"Anyway, I really hoped you could come to the event night that the University is organizing for the Christmas Eve. I wish you could meet Julie in person, I'd love if you two could meet again!"

As soon as those thoughts had come to her mind, Rachel felt stupid and immature. She adverted Ross's gaze and flushed, feeling uncomfortable and unworthy of Ross's trust for the first time in her life.

Ross noticed this and immediately worried about her, "Rach? Is everything ok?"

"Yes. It's just…nothing. What were you saying?" she urged him to continue, giving Emma another spoon of her food.

"Well, I already asked Monica and she told me that we could leave Emma with her and Chandler and we can spend the night there after the party too, so we'll be ready to celebrate Christmas with the whole family."

Rachel smiled and stared at him, "Ok, it's a lovely idea, honey. I'll come to the party, then."

"Wow, it's great! Any possibility that you might want to come to my seminar, too?"

"Don't push it, sweetie. A party full of dinosaurs geeks is enough. There's gonna be wine, isn't there?"

Ross chuckled, "Totally."

Ross walked towards their bedroom to get change and Rachel finished giving Emma her meal. And yet, she wasn't convinced that meeting Julie would be the greatest idea.

* * *

The following days were really hard for Rachel, who kept thinking about Ross and Julie.

She had to admit it. She was jealous.

She wasn't afraid of what Ross could do, she was sure that he would never hurt her on purpose, and she trusted him with all her heart.

But she was jealous and she didn't want to tell Ross the truth. And the fact that he was spending time with Julie was becoming an obsession.

The day before Ross's seminar, he was in their bedroom, skimming through his notes at the computer and reviewing his speech. Emma was already sleeping and Rachel was watching TV in the living room.

When she heard Ross's mobile ring, she ran silently towards the bedroom to overhear his conversation even though she knew that she was doing something wrong.

"Hi, Julie!" he exclaimed, joyfully.

"Yes, I was just doing that." He chuckled, "No, no…don't worry, I won't mention him."

Rachel imagined that they might be referring to some paleontology guy she wouldn't even know about in a million years. Maybe it was time that she paid more attention to Ross's stories when he told them.

"Yes, you were just great today! You are such a good speaker, everybody was so intrigued by what you were saying, what's your secret?"

Rachel was regretting her choice to listen to that conversation, but she couldn't move away from the door. After a few seconds, Ross continued to talk.

"No, no, she's not coming. Well, she's not really into the whole paleontology thing, you know."

Rachel felt tears forming in the corners of her eyes. Ross wasn't telling this in a resentful tone, he didn't sound upset, but she was hurt anyway.

"I'd love to, we'll have so much fun! Yeah, you too, see ya tomorrow. Bye."

Rachel sighed and squeezed her eyes.

If Ross thought she wasn't coming to his seminar after _this_ , he was very wrong.

* * *

The auditorium was full of people when Rachel arrived.

She had called Judy and asked her to keep Emma that morning because she really wanted to surprise Ross and go to listen to his speech.

She was wearing one of her best outfits, with the result that many of the professors and students in the room were now looking at her as she was walking down the stairs in a short black skirt and a white sexy blouse.

Her eyes were looking frantically for Ross and she smiled when she saw him. He was standing by the teacher's desk, talking to a couple of colleagues. Rachel's smile faded as soon as she noticed that Julie was standing right next to him.

It was almost surreal to see her after so many years. She hadn't changed, even if her hair was longer than she remembered (she'd probably decided to let it grow again, after the fatal haircut made by Phoebe under Rachel's advice).

Ross was smiling and chatting with the people around him, ready to begin his lecture, when his eyes fell on Rachel, who was jumping from the last step of the stair to the floor in front of him.

But his reaction wasn't what Rachel had imagined. She was expecting him to be incredibly happy to see her, but when Ross saw the unnatural smile on Rachel's face as she greeted him with their usual, "Hey, you!", he didn't respond back.

"What are you doing here?" he asked her, shocked by her presence.

"I wanted to surprise you! You wanted me to come, so here I am!" she explained, trying to sound as believable as possible.

But Ross knew her better. He didn't want to show how much upset he was in front of the others, so he gave her a quick peck on the lips and introduced Rachel to his colleagues.

"This is Rachel Green, my fiancée. This is Dr. Stevenson and this is Dr. Williams, you met him last month when we had lunch together after the exhibition."

"Of course…" she smiled at him, as the man took Rachel's hand and kissed it.

"It's always a pleasure, Miss Green."

"Please, call me Rachel." She replied, as charming as she could be.

"And…you remember Julie." Ross said, sighing.

"Of course, I do…" Rachel stressed out the last word. "How are you?"

"Fine!" Julie tried to smile at her, "I thought I would…see you tonight at the party…"

"Well, here I am! Supporting my future husband and everything…" Rachel said, grabbing Ross's arm and caressing his chest.

Ross gazed at her and kept his thoughts for himself. He was really hating this.

"Dr. Geller, I think it's time to start." Dr. Williams interrupted them.

"Ok. See you later." He said to Rachel without even looking at her.

"Remember that joke about the T-rex and you'll get them!" Julie reminded him.

Ross chuckled nervously and walked towards the stage and behind the desk.

Rachel glared at Julie without being noticed and then choose a chair to sit in the second row.

* * *

During Ross's speech, Rachel listened carefully to him. It was the first time that she really paid attention to one of his lectures. She had to admit to herself that all the stuff he was saying wasn't bad at all. And the joke he made about the t-rex, probably the one suggested by Julie, actually made people laugh and caught the attention of the audience.

At the end of the speech, a great applause filled the auditorium and Ross smiled to the audience and thanked everyone before getting down from the stage.

Rachel was so proud of him. And she was really glad that she had come to see him, even if she'd done it for the wrong reasons.

She decided to wait for everyone to congratulate Ross before approaching him. She knew that he might be mad at her for what she had done and they would need to talk about it later. Maybe they would also have an argument. But at that moment, all she wanted was to make him understand that what he'd just done was really impressive.

After fifteen minutes, only Julie and a few other people were still around Ross. He was talking to them with a huge smile on his face, probably commenting his speech and making further considerations about it.

Finally, he saw Rachel leaning against the wall with her arms crossed over her chest. As soon as she saw Ross watching her, she smiled at him and she raised her eyebrows as if she wanted to invite him to run towards her.

Dimissing what had happened before, he did.

He jumped on the steps of the lateral stairway and reached Rachel. He hugged her enthusiastically, like the night she'd come home after getting off the plane. He kissed her and then he leaned his forehead on hers.

"I don't care now. I'm just so glad that you came."

 _If only you knew_ , Rachel thought.

"I'm so proud of you."

"Did you actually listen to me?" he asked her, happy as a baby.

"Yes, doctor Geller. And I must admit it was almost interesting." She joked.

"So you are coming to all my seminars from now on?" Ross demanded, hopeful.

"I said _almost_." Rachel quipped, making him laugh.

Ross took her hand and they both walked down the stairs to meet the others, "So, why did you come Rach?"

Rachel's eyes caught Julie's staring at them. It was only for a second, but she could tell that there was something in that look.

"I'll tell you later. Let's go home and get ready for tonight."

* * *

Ross was trying not to think about the little misunderstanding that had happened before his speech, he really wanted to have fun that night. It was almost Christmas and, even if he usually didn't like to celebrate that holiday, that year was different.

He had finally Rachel back in his life and they lived together with Emma. The following day, they would have a great day at Monica and Chandler's with Emma, their parents, Jack, Erica, Phoebe and Mike. Except for Joey's absence, everything would be just perfect.

But tonight, it was just for them.

And Ross was proud to say that together they looked just swell. They were probably the best looking couple in the room.

Of course, mostly because of Rachel. She was unbelievably beautiful in her long black gown.

And yet, when he'd come out of the bedroom dressed up in his tuxedo, Rachel had been positively stunned. She had hugged him and told him that she was _really_ upset they couldn't sleep back at their own apartment.

Ross and Rachel were drinking a glass of champagne and enjoying each other's company, waiting for Julie to arrive.

"So, are you going to tell me what was bothering you before or do you want me to guess?" Ross asked her, taking a canapé from the buffet.

"It's just some thoughts I had, lately. I think I felt a bit…neglected, because of this big speech of yours. I just wanted to blend in, that's all."

Ross shook his head, "You expect me to believe that? Rach, you've never tried to _blend in_ once before. Never. Since you came to New York, you and the guys always made fun of my job."

"I know." She said, knowing that her lie wasn't good enough.

"So what's the matter? I want you to tell me, come on…" he pleaded.

"Hi guys!" Julie's voice interrupted them.

"Hi, Julie!" Ross gave her a kiss on the cheek and Rachel tried not to show her inner turmoil.

"Ehy, Julie."

"So, are you alone or…?" Ross asked her.

"No, I convinced him to come, he took a plane this afternoon. He's parking the rented car." Julie answered, a beaming smile on her face.

Rachel's angry expression converted instantly into a relieved one, "Julie's…Julie's boyfriend…he's parking the car!" she smiled.

Ross grinned and shook his head, noticing his fiancée's change of attitude. He knew her so well.

"Yes! Well he didn't want to come because he thought this could be a little weird, seeing our…history…but it's been almost ten years!" Julie exclaimed.

"You're absolutely right!" Rachel laughed and gave her a light shove on the shoulder. "So, uhm…excuse-me a second, but I...uhm...need to go to the bathroom." Rachel informed Ross. He nodded and watched her leave.

Rachel entered the bathroom and took the mobile from her purse, fast dialing Monica's number. She entered one of the cubicles and closed the door behind her.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Mon? Hi! How's Emma?" she asked.

"She's already sleeping. She's been lovely as usual."

"Good. Listen, you were right about the whole Julie thing."

"What do you mean?"

"She has a boyfriend!"

"See? I told you that she couldn't be still interested in Ross!"

"I know, I know…I was wrong and you were right."

"Yes! Another point for my scorebook!"

Rachel was going out of the cubicle when she heard someone coming inside the bathroom.

"Oh, I missed doing this with you!" Julie's voice said. She was clearly kissing someone, probably her boyfriend.

"I missed you so much, all this time we weren't together…" a sugared reply came with a well-known voice.

Rachel was shocked. The man answering to Julie's advance seemed to be Ross.

"Oh my god!" Rachel exhaled a muffled scream.

"What's up?" Monica asked her.

"Julie's just entered the bathroom and it looks like she's making out with Ross!" she murmured.

"What?!" Monica screamed.

"Oh honey, we can't do this now…it's not right." Julie said between the kisses.

"Who cares about them?" came the reply.

As Rachel heard Ross saying this, Rachel's eyes opened wide. She couldn't believe this.

"Rach, what's going on? Rachel?" Monica asked her.

"Russ, we got to stop this…" Julie said.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Rachel cried, coming out of the cubicle, slamming the door.

Julie and the man stopped kissing each other and turned around to face Rachel.

As soon as they did this, she realized that the man kissing Julie wasn't Ross, he was no other than Russ, the man she had dated for a few days before realizing how much he looked like Ross.

And how could it be her fiancée, seeing that Ross was entering the bathroom at that very moment, worried by Rachel's shout.

"What's going on here?" he demanded, noticing the tension in the room.

Julie noticed Rachel's worried expression and she realized that Rachel was mortified and on the verge of crying.

In the last few days, Ross had told her everything about their _on and off_ relationship and now Julie was realizing that her presence in town might have been a difficult test for Rachel.

Her eyes were begging for help. And the fact that they could hear Monica's shouts coming from the mobile meant that Rachel had been in the bathroom talking with her best friend about something that was bothering her.

So Julie decided to help her.

"Nothing, Ross. We were just catching up. Rachel, I think you already know my boyfriend, Russ Hamilton." Julie introduced him.

Astonished by Julie's kindness, Rachel held out her hand towards the man, "Of course! Well, long time no see, uh?" Rachel said, grabbing Russ's hand.

"Rachel? Rachel?" Monica was still screaming from the phone.

"Mon!" Rachel put the mobile next to her ear, "Everything is fine" she walked towards Ross, who was now looking at her suspiciously. "Remember the scorebook? You can put a hundred points for you after this one!"

Rachel closed the call and put the mobile back in her purse, then she attempted to look at Ross, who was still trying to figure out what had just happened.

"I guess we all need a glass of champagne." Julie interrupted that embarrassing moment, "Rachel, will you join us?"

Rachel smiled at her and silently thanked Julie for always being such a kind woman. She hadn't changed a bit. "Of course, I will. Thank you."

"So, let's go."

The two women exited the bathroom and walked past Ross.

"It could have happened to anyone." Julie murmured to Rachel.

"Oh, believe me. This could only have happened to ME."

Julie chuckled and they walked towards the buffet.

* * *

Later that night, Rachel was chatting with Russ and they were laughing about the whole situation. Ross was still waiting to talk with Rachel about everything that had happened that day, but he knew it was too soon and he didn't want to spoil the party. Everything was fine, now, and he was glad that she and Julie had worked things out in the end.

Julie walked towards Ross with a glass of champagne in her hand and they clinked them. They both looked at their partners, who were laughing together not too far from them.

"It's so nice that you two got together in the end, Ross." Julie said to him.

"I know…it was a long and difficult journey, but I'm so glad that we're finally together for good." Ross explained.

"When's the wedding?"

"July 16th. And you two must be there. Rachel agrees with me." Ross nodded.

Julie smiled, amazed, "Well, thank you. We'll be honored to come. It's going to be nice to see all the guys again."

"I'm sure Monica will be very happy too."

Julie took a sip of her champagne and sighed, remembering the past. "You know, when you broke up with me, I felt really heartbroken." Julie confessed to him.

Ross stared at her, "I'm so sorry. It wasn't your fault. And believe me, you are not the only person who got involved and hurt because of our twisted relationship." Ross told her, pointing at Rachel.

"Such a relief!" Julie laughed, and so did Ross, "But, you know, from the way you were talking about Rachel the day that you came to end things with us…I realized that you really loved her. You had…I don't know, these sparkles in your eyes whenever you mentioned her."

"Really?" Ross asked her.

"Yeah…just like now." Julie assured him.

Ross smiled, looking at Rachel and grinning to himself.

"Tell me...Is Russ a nice guy?" Ross asked her.

"He's the best. Really. We've been together since then, I guess in some way he reminded me of you. And yet, in other ways he's so much different."

"I'm glad you found someone to complete you. And I'm sorry for Rachel's behavior. I know something's bothering her, she's being so childish. I thought we were over this kind of silly mistrust."

"She was just jealous, Ross. We are friends, but I'll always be an ex-girlfriend to her eyes. Promise me you won't be too hard with her." Julie advised him.

"I'll try. You're still amazing, you know?" Ross complimented her.

"Thanks."

At that moment, Rachel and Russ joined them with big smiles on their faces.

"Honey, shall we go? It's a long way to Westchester." Rachel reminded Ross.

"Yeah, you're right. Julie, I hope we meet again soon." Ross held her.

"I hope so too."

"It was a pleasure. See you at the wedding!" Rachel said, meaning it. She hugged the woman. "And thank you, again." She murmured, so that only Julie could hear her. Julie blinked at her.

Ross and Russ shook their hands and Rachel gave him a kiss on the cheek.

As she and Ross walked past the other guests, he looked at her, "I still don't see it."

"What?" she asked him.

"How could you all possibly think he looks like me?" he shouted.

Rachel giggled and took Ross's arm, as he grinned and kissed her head.

* * *

"Hi!" Monica greeted Rachel and her brother.

"Wow, we thought you'd arrive later. Guess the party was great, uh?" Chandler asked them.

"No, we just wanted to come home, we were afraid there might be frost on the streets. Emma's doing good?"

"Yes, all the kids are asleep. I can't believe that the twins have finally started to sleep through the night. It's like I'm discovering my hearing again." Monica said, closing the door behind them.

Rachel and Ross took off their coats and scarfs and Chandler went to put them away.

"Did Judy bring the children's presents for tomorrow?" Rachel asked.

"Yes, everything's ready under the tree. It's the first time Emma's actually going to understand that she's getting presents from Santa, I'm so excited!" Monica clapped her hands.

"I know!" Rachel smiled.

"So, are we going to stay up to chat or do you want to go to sleep?" Monica asked them.

Ross put his hand over Rachel's shoulder and stopped her from talking, "Actually we are very tired, Mon, would you mind if we go to sleep right away?"

Rachel knew that Ross wanted to sort things out, she couldn't delay an explanation anymore.

"Oh no, it's ok, we have tomorrow to stay together. By the way, you two looked really gorgeous tonight!"

Chandler came back from the living room, "Sex is not allowed in the guest bedroom on Christmas Eve!"

"Chandler!" Monica shoved him. "Don't listen to him, I changed the sheets this morning. Oh, I'd be so glad if you conceived a new cousin for Jack and Erica in this house!" Monica smiled.

"Guys, we can control ourselves!" Rachel scoffed.

"Since when?" Chandler asked them.

Ross shook his head and walked silently towards the guest room. Rachel knew that he was trying to hide his disappointment to his sister and brother-in-law, but they knew him better.

"Is everything fine?" Monica asked her. "What happened before with Julie?"

"I'll tell you tomorrow. But you can forget to expect me to get pregnant tonight."

* * *

When Rachel entered the bedroom, Ross had taken off his jacket. He had unbuttoned his white shirt and he was taking off his tie. Rachel thought that he was so sexy that she wanted to try and avoid an argument by playing the charm card, so she held him from behind and she kissed his nape.

"Rach…"

"Come on, we have Monica's blessing!" she replied, caressing his chest.

He got rid of her arms and sat on the bed. He stared at her, "How long are you going to avoid answering me?"

"I am not avoiding; I am just…procrastinating."

Ross giggled at her, "Ok, so I will try and guess. You have been acting weird since I told you that Julie was coming to New York. Am I getting warm if I think that you were jealous?"

"Nooo." She stressed the answer by beating her foot on the floor and crossing her arms on her chest.

"So you came to my seminar because you REALLY wanted to be there for me?"

"Of course! I'm almost your wife, I wanted to be supportive!"

"And you expressed your joy when you found out that Julie had a boyfriend because…"

"Because it's been ten years and I still feel a little bit guilty for your breakup!"

Ross chuckled. He really wanted to see how many excuses Rachel was able to conceive. He nodded in disbelief, "Ok. So what happened in the bathroom before?"

"I…I was talking to Monica and I got scared because I thought that Julie was…"

"That she was what? What?" he prodded her.

"Ok, fine, fine! I heard Russ's voice and I thought it was you. Gosh, it was only for a couple of seconds, his voice sounds so much like yours, Ross!"

Now Ross looked angry and deceived, "It so does not!" he replied.

"Shhh, don't wake up everyone!" Rachel tried to soothe him.

"Rach, I can't believe this. I thought you trust me. Don't you see how ridiculous this is? We were past this, we talked this through the night we got engaged. You promised we would never fight about this anymore…How could you be jealous of Julie after all this time?"

"Honey, believe me, I trust you! I trust you, it's just that…Come on, it's Russ! Even Julie told me that it could happen to anyone!"

"But it happened to YOU. Did you really believe that I could kiss another woman? I've got to know, Rach. I've got to know if you really trust me or not. Why did you think I would do that?"

"Because I WAS jealous!" she finally admitted.

Rachel turned around not to look at him and Ross gloated triumphantly. He had managed to make her confess her feelings. He had exaggerated voluntarily his reactions, but oh it had been worth it.

He stood up and made Rachel turn to look right at him. He had a huge grin on his face.

"You _were_ jealous." He murmured, caressing her cheek.

Rachel had tears in her eyes, she nodded. "I heard you speaking with Julie at the phone. You told her that I don't like all your paleontology stuff and you said something about having fun with her…"

"She asked me if the four of us could go together to the event tonight! That's why I thought it could be fun. I like Julie, she's a friend and we like working together. But that's just it, Rachel."

"I thought you might be starting to like her again."

"I have you by my side. I should be crazy to look for any other woman."

"But she's smart, and she knows all the stuff about the dinosaurs and all."

Ross chuckled, "And you choose my dresses and decorate our apartment. And you pick all our baby's cute outfits. You have a taste for fashion. You have yours, I have mine. You taught me this years ago, that's a lesson I won't forget. _It's not just a job_."

Rachel recalled the awful night of their breakup and the terrible fight about her job. Tonight she had realized that Ross had really understood the importance of having two separate lives when it came to their working careers. Which didn't mean that they couldn't be happy for each other's success.

"I felt so left out…Like you did when I was working with Mark."

Ross nodded, and kissed her nose, "I know. But my job is something I love and it's a huge part of my life. I put a lot of passion into it. But not as much as I do with our relationship. Our family is what I cherish the most. The best part of my day is always coming back home to you and Emma."

"Really? Not teaching?" Rachel asked.

"Nope. Half of my students don't listen to me, anyway. But I think that Julie gave me some good advice how to catch their attention." Ross replied.

"Julie is great, you know? I see now why you liked her so much." Rachel admitted.

"She really was. She might be very good for me. She had everything I was looking for in a woman when I met her. But she had this huge _con_ on her list, remember?"

Rachel put her arms around his neck, "She wasn't _rachem_."

Ross chuckled again and gave her a soft peck on the lips, "Definitely not."

Rachel gazed at him with desire and kissed him, this time passionately. She was so glad that this misunderstanding was over.

When they stopped the kiss, they hugged tenderly and Rachel felt Ross's mouth next to her ear, "It's always been you, Rach."

"I love you. And believe me, Ross, I trust you. Totally. Forgive me, I was just silly."

"I know you trust me, Rach. I just…overreacted to make you say that you were jealous."

"Joey Tribbiani taught you good! You are ready for a _Soap Opera Digest Award_."

Ross smiled, "But I need to tell you, again. When something bothers you, please tell me. I don't want us to make the same mistakes again, ok?"

Rachel was so proud of him; she couldn't believe how different he was than the Ross she'd dated years before. "Ok. Can I make it up to you now?"

"How?" he grinned, foreseeing an amazing night of makeup sex.

"We have to start working on that cousin for Jack and Erica, don't we?"


	6. Christmas Day

Here I am with another Chapter. This one following Chapter 5 and taking place the day after (it's Xmas Morning).

For the next one we will meet an old acquaintance of Ross and Rachel, but I don't want to spoil it. I hope you enjoy this.

RT

* * *

Judy and Jack were sitting on the couch in the living room, enjoying their time with their grandchildren. Emma was playing with her _Play-Dough_ Barber Shop (Ross had asked Monica and Chandler to choose that gift as her Christmas present, since now she was old enough to play with it). Jack was jumping happily on his grandfather's knees (he was beginning to stay upright with his back even if it was too soon to walk yet) and Erica was crawling and screaming happily on the floor. Judy had a lovely smile on her face, long gone were the misunderstandings with her daughter because she didn't have a husband or children of her own. She was very happy to have a numerous family to celebrate the holidays with and she was looking forward to Ross's wedding, too.

Ross was sitting on the armchair next to the window with Rachel on his lap, Monica was on the other chair and Chandler was standing in front of them as they were opening their Christmas presents. Phoebe and Mike were still at his parents' house, but they would arrive later in the afternoon.

As usual, Monica was anxious to open her gifts, "This one's from Mom and Dad!" she yelled, excited.

"Actually you and Ross should open yours together, dear." Judy told her. "It's kind of the same present, but I hope you both enjoy it."

Rachel stood up from Ross's legs and searched into the bag among Ross's presents. She picked the one labeled _Judy and Jack_ and she gave it to Ross.

The siblings ripped off the paper to find two wonderful silver frames that contained collage pictures of their children, Monica and Chandler and Rachel and Ross.

"Mom, this is amazing!" Ross exclaimed.

"Mom, thank you…I don't know what to say…You've never thought of something so personal before, it's lovely." Monica was on the verge of crying.

"Well, I guess these little kids inspired me. Having them around is such a bless. Isn't it, Jack?" she asked her husband.

But Jack Sr. was too involved with his grandson to consider her.

"Anyway, Rachel and Chandler gave me the photos, so you must thank them, too."

"Thank you, honey. This is gorgeous." Monica smiled, kissing Chandler.

"I actually wanted to pick a picture of your fat-era, but I couldn't find any." He quipped.

"Yeah, I hid them in the basement." Monica replied.

Ross laughed at them, "Rach, where does this picture come from? I don't remember ever seeing it."

The photo was a lovely image of Ross and Rachel sitting close to one another on the bench next to the window back in apartment 20. They were looking at each other, laughing.

Rachel smiled and hinted at Chandler.

"Well, I picked that one too. It's from last year, it was Thanksgiving Day. Remember when you all arrived late, the floating heads, and the vein?"

Ross chuckled and nodded.

"Well, we ate what was left after Joey propelled into the kitchen and fell on the table over the food, then we played _Scrabble_ and we let Monica win."

"What!?" Monica asked, angry.

"Oh, come on, we always make you win when we play games, we don't want any more _Pictionary_ incidents, do we?" Rachel reminded her.

Monica opened her mouth to retort, but Chandler spoke before she could start another futile squabble.

"After the game, you guys picked up Emma from her nap, then Mike arrived from his parents' house and we ordered pizza for dinner. While we were waiting, Monica picked her camera to take some pictures. You two were sitting on the bench and you were really intent in talking about something."

Ross seemed to recall the moment in his head, because he started to smile.

"Anyway, you said something and made Rachel laugh so hard, that I asked Monica to take the picture. And I'm glad I did, because it came out pretty well."

"It's wonderful." Rachel agreed.

"So, what were you two talking about? You weren't even back together back then, what did Ross say to amuse you like that?"

"Yeah, I'm supposed to be the funny guy of the gang!" Chandler said, feigning disappointment.

Ross and Rachel shared a knowing look.

* * *

" _You know, I should be mad at you for not telling me about the Beauty Pageant."_

" _Oh come on, Ross. I thought you were happy about the thousand dollars!" Rachel winked._

 _Ross grinned, "Well, yeah, but I wish you'd tell me in advance from now on. Emma is my daughter too, you know. We should take decisions like those together, I mean...like a family."_

 _Rachel inspired and took a glimpse at her daughter, who was sitting on Mike's lap. Phoebe and Joey were making her laugh and Monica was taking pictures with Chandler by her side._

" _You see the three of us as a real family?" she asked him, surprised by his statement._

 _Ross looked at her in astonishment, "Of course I do. I know that we kind of…screwed things up when we lived together, but…those were the best days of my life, Rach, you have to know."_

 _Rachel thought about those months spent in Ross's apartment. Not only the ones during the pregnancy, but mostly the weeks after Emma's birth. Taking care of their baby together had been wonderful, especially when she'd thought that maybe they could have sorted things out and started to be_ Ross and Rachel _, again._

" _And I know that in the last months our lives had taken very different…directions." Ross took a break from his speech, and both of them certainly thought about Joey and Charlie. "But I really missed you. I'm glad that now we are…reconnecting again."_

 _Rachel couldn't believe his words. A very few times in the last years Ross had been so honest and open with his feelings. She took his hand in hers, "I missed you too." She confessed._

 _Rachel felt a weird sensation in her stomach, something that she hadn't felt in a long time._

 _Something that she thought was long forgotten. She'd been sure that everything she'd once felt for this man was now in the past, but as soon as she'd been told by Monica that Ross and Charlie had broken up, she'd felt a huge relief. And now all those feelings were coming back again, in a rush._

 _But wasn't in the end what their relationship was all about? Waves of passion, coming and going, fading at times but never actually disappearing?_

 _Since the night of that disastrous second date with Joey, when they had understood that they would never hit it off, she had found herself remembering the details of her first dates with Ross. Everything was so perfect back then. And she wasn't doing this to hurt herself, no. She was just comparing her experience with Joey with the best she'd ever had. Because even if her relationship with Ross had ended in the worst possible way, it had also been the best of her life. She still thought about Ross as the benchmark to judge all the other men she went out with._

 _She stared at him silently, deciding that maybe it was about time to decide whether they needed to clear things once and for all. They owed it to themselves. And they owed it to Emma._

 _On the other hand, Ross didn't know why he had confessed all these things. His relationship with Charlie had been over for only a month, but if he thought about it he wasn't regretful at all._

 _He'd enjoyed his time with her, and they had a lot in common. Charlie was lovely, smart and very beautiful, but when it came to decide if he really wanted their relationship to last, Ross knew that no woman could ever compare to Rachel._

 _After Emma's birth, whenever he imagined his future, he wasn't able to see it with anyone but the three of them together. Even when he was with Charlie, he'd never thought about spending more time with her and Emma, because deep down he knew that he didn't want to introduce another woman in his daughter's life. He_ did _consider the three of them as a family, even if he and Rachel weren't together as a couple. The fact that he had acted so weird the night of their double date with Joey and Rachel should have been proof enough to show his inner feelings._

 _Charlie could have been the perfect woman to Ross – hadn't she decided that she was still in love with Benjamin Hobart. But she wasn't perfect for him._

 _With Rachel, instead…Everything was so difficult, and yet so easy._

 _Ross loved her not only for her better qualities, but also for her flaws._

 _No matter how many faults and contradictions Rachel embodied, Ross loved them all._

 _Her being a little spoiled, or ditzy sometimes or too much into her looks. Her way to exchange every gift for something else, her way to always prevent him to go on with his life whenever he found another woman only to reject him a few hours later. The way they fought, the way they quipped at each other. All of this was part of who they were and defined their huge history._

 _Ross had started to understand all of this and other things during the last months while he was dating Charlie and moreover when he had found out that it hadn't worked out between Rachel and Joey._

 _And now, here they were._

 _Ross knew that he wanted to give their relationship another chance, they needed to try at least. Emma deserved the most wonderful family in the world. He wanted so much to have his daughter and Rachel back to his apartment. But before this could happen, he and Rachel needed to get closer enough._

 _Going together to the playground had been a good start. That had been a wonderful day, spent together as the nice family they were._

 _And today could turn out as a second moment._

 _They just needed to get that kind of connection again, like the one they shared when Rachel was pregnant. And Ross was sure that after this conversation, everything would be easier._

" _You know what I'd love to do next week?" Rachel asked him._

" _What?"_

" _Let's go see the tree lighting ceremony at Rockefeller Center together with Emma."_

 _Ross's lips turned into a tender smile, "I'd love to."_

 _They stared at each other silently, waiting for the other to say something to seize the moment._

 _Rachel smiled sadly, thinking that this might become the umpteenth missed opportunity to solve things._

 _She was almost breaking the silence by telling him how she really felt, when Ross decided to ease the tension by changing the subject._

" _Oh, you are never going to believe who I saw the other day when I was to the playground with Ben and Emma!"_

 _Rachel flinched when she felt Ross's free hand touching her leg. She let go of his other hand, coughing and noticing that he had decided to let the moment pass by._

" _Who?" she asked._

" _Bonnie!"_

" _Your ex-girlfriend Bonnie?!" she winced._

" _Yeah!"_

" _Oh my God! How was she?"_

" _Well, she looked good, we had a nice chat. She was there with her husband!"_

" _Really?" Rachel grinned._

" _Yes, they got married a couple of years ago, they were there with their children."_

" _Bonnie the bald woman has a husband and more than one child?" Rachel almost screamed._

 _Ross nodded, grinning, "They got twins, and you won't believe after whom they named them."_

 _Rachel, "Well, knowing Bonnie, she might have chosen the names of two cities she had sex in."_

 _Ross chuckled, "Nope. She called them Ross…and Rachel."_

" _NO WAY!" Rachel laughed._

" _I swear, and she was so proud!" Ross explained. "She told me that after I broke up with her that night in Montauk, you know the night of the letter…"_

" _The one on which you fell asleep?" she challenged him._

" _It was 18-pages-front-and-back!" Ross retorted and they both smiled about it, "Anyway…Bonnie went home with a cab and the driver was Brian, the man who became her husband!"_

" _That's so sweet!" Rachel said, sincerely._

" _I thought so too. She said that she owed it to us, because if we'd never found out that we wanted to get back together that night, she would have never met him. They'd been together since then and so…she named her children after us."_

" _I can't believe this." Rachel shook her head._

" _I know; it was a shock for me too. And you want to know another thing?" Ross grinned._

" _What?"_

" _Bonnie's hair is long again, as when I first met her. But her husband is completely bald!"_

 _Rachel burst out laughing and so did Ross. They were so loud that Chandler and Monica noticed them from the living room and he asked his wife to take a picture of them._

 _When Ross and Rachel stopped their guffaw, Rachel cleaned a tear from her eye._

" _So, you reckon Bonnie was actually happy?" she demanded._

" _Yes. And I'm honestly relieved, because breaking up with Bonnie like that was one of those things I've always felt really bad about."_

" _What do you mean?"_

" _Oh, no, I mean…we both know why I did it." they shared a knowing look "I broke up with her because I knew that I was still madly in love with you. And in spite of what happened, if I could go back in time, I'd do it again, Rach."_

 _Rachel blushed, stunned by his words. "Wow. It's hard believing that, seeing how you carefully wanted to demonstrate that WE-WERE-ON-A-BREAK."_

 _Ross nodded, smiling, "I know. But many years have passed and my perspective about the whole thing changed a lot."_

 _Rachel nodded in approbation. "So, what did Bonnie think about the two of us?"_

" _Well, she was glad to know that Emma is our daughter. But she was surprised to find out that we weren't together anymore. She was pretty sure that we would end up together, as I told her that night."_

 _Rachel smiled sadly, "I know what she means. But you know, Ross…" Rachel looked at Emma, "I don't feel like a real loser in this battle, because Emma is the best thing we've done together."_

 _Ross's gaze went from Rachel's face to his daughter. "You're right."_

 _Then they looked at each other again and smiled._

* * *

"So, Bonnie married with a bald man. Great sense of humor, uh Ross?" Chandler asked his brother-in-law.

"Oh, come on, it was fun for us!" Rachel scolded him.

"Ok, let's go on with the gifts!" Monica shouted.

The four friends kept opening their presents, revealing the contents of the packages.

"Wow, honey this is the new pressure cooker I've been telling you about, thank you!" Monica exclaimed, happily.

"You are welcome, sweetie. Hey, guys, the new iPod! Now I can listen to _Alanis Morissette_ while I go to work!" Chandler stated. When they all looked at him weirdly, he corrected himself, "And with that, I meant _Metallica_."

"Mon, what did you get Chandler?" Ross asked his sister.

"I booked him a flight to Los Angeles to go visit Joey in January."

"Yeah, that's the best gift ever. I know this sounds weird, but I really miss his presence. Our fridge has been so full since he'd left!"

Rachel was opening a tiny envelope and she found a _Gucci_ coupon inside of it.

"Wow Mon, thank you!"

"No need to exchange this, you can buy whatever you want." Monica explained.

"Oh, you know me so well!" Rachel hugged her.

"And this is mine!" Chandler jumped, giving her a little package.

"Oh, what's this?"

Rachel unwrapped the paper to discover a DVD boxset including _Sleepless in Seattle_ and _You've got mail_.

"Wow, Chandler, I didn't think you got it in you." Ross said when he saw the titles, "Are you also growing a uterus?"

Chandler glared at him and Monica laughed for her brother's joke.

"Thanks honey, I love them." Rachel kissed Chandler.

Then she took a huge bag that contained Ross's present and she took out a wonderful red coat that she'd noticed a few days before while they were shopping together in Manhattan.

"Oh my God, Ross! This is the one I saw the other day through the Gucci's shop window!"

"Yes it is!"

"But it cost a thousand dollars!"

"I SO hope you don't exchange it."

Rachel giggled, "I won't, it's so lovely, but you shouldn't have bought it."

"It's our first Christmas back together, I wanted to give you something really special."

"Oh, honey, thank you!" she kissed him tenderly. "Now open mine, open mine!"

Ross found an envelope too and he opened it with curiosity.

Inside he found a paper with the receipt of a hotel booking in Washington. There were also tickets for the _Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History_.

"I booked a room for you, me, Emma and Ben. I already spoke with Carol; we are going there next weekend!"

"Wow, Rach! There's the Exhibition of the _Hall of Fossils_ this month. How did you know I wanted to see it?"

"Even I knew it, Ross, you've been spoken about it for like a month!" Chandler answered.

"I also booked a visit to the _White House_." Rachel affirmed.

"Wow, this will be the most boring trip in history!" Chandler joked.

Ross glared at him, "There's nothing wrong in learning a little something. Washington is the capital of our country and we've never even been there before! Thank you Rachel, this was a wonderful idea. And I'm so happy we are going there with the kids, Ben is gonna love it! Does he know yet?"

"Yes, I told him last week. I had to trade something to make him keep the secret, though."

"What?" Monica asked her.

"He wanted to pick his next brother's or sister's name."

Ross laughed, "Knowing my son, he would choose some _Avengers_ superhero name. What did you tell him?"

"I told him he could pick Uncle Joey's first son's name. I called Joey and they agreed that _The_ _Hulk_ was the better choice."

* * *

A huge thanks to **Babatomyfriends (beta angel!)** and Boris Yeltsin, Aayushi Sinha, SC, Anna, cutoaayu and all the guests who reviewed until now!


	7. A conversation with Aunt Rachel

I want to apologize for the delay, but I was on holiday.

From now on, please expect more belated updates because I'm going to study hard for some exams until September, so it's going to be a very intense month for me. I'll try to keep this as updated as possible, at least with a chapter a week, but don't get mad if I don't write asap.

I hope you enjoy this! As usual, sorry for my mistakes in the language.

* * *

Their weekend in Washington couldn't have been better.

They had spent the Saturday morning visiting the White House, then after lunch they had enjoyed the entire afternoon in the National Mall, walking from the Lincoln Memorial and the Capitol Building to the Washington Monument. Even if it was very cold, it was a lovely sunny day and they had a lot of fun.

Sunday, instead, had been devoted to the visit of the _Smithsonian_. Ross had been the perfect guide to Ben and Rachel, even if he had tried not to be too much boring. Rachel had been really impressed when she had noticed that the kid was actually interested in many of the things that his father was telling him. Ben had become really ecstatic when they had seen the room with the T-rex reconstruction.

Ross had been even more happy when they had visited the exhibition of the _Hall of Fossils_. Rachel couldn't help but smile when she had realized how genuinely content he looked. It was like being on a scholar trip with three babies instead of two.

Emma had been sleeping for the majority of the visit to the museum, with the result that when they went back to the hotel, she was awake and agitate, and she wanted to play with her dad.

Ross had promised to bring the family out for dinner to thank Rachel for the amazing Christmas gift, so he volunteered to take Emma to the hotel nursery and let her have some fun before going out.

Ben was watching TV while Rachel was getting ready. She'd chosen an elegant sophisticated outfit with a pair of black ballet flats. She'd decided to avoid high heels because she was very tired for the long walks of the last two days.

As soon as she was over, she sat next to Ben on the couch and she smiled at him.

"So, did you have fun this weekend Ben?"

"Very much!" he smiled at her. Rachel noticed how much that smiled reminded her of Carol's. Ben had definitely Ross's brown eyes, but his blond hair and his lovely smile were all his mother's.

"What did you enjoy the most?"

"Uhm…the T-rex, I guess."

"So" she questioned him "You really like all this paleontology stuff, like your father?"

"Well…not the rocks…" he laughed, and Rachel giggled, "But I really like the dinosaurs, since I watched _Jurassic Park_ with him!"

"Are you happy that you came here with the three of us?"

"Of course. I'm always happy to spend some time with dad, Emma and you, Aunt Rachel."

Rachel smiled again at the sound of the usual way Ben used to address her. She actually liked the fact that Ben still called her _Aunt_ Rachel, and yet she wondered if one day he would start to see her differently. Soon she would become his _official_ stepmother, how would he be supposed to call her then? This was a very delicate subject.

"Can I ask you a question, Aunt Rachel?"

"Of course, Ben."

Ben stood better on the couch and turned off the TV.

"There's something I don't understand. I talked with my moms about it, and they told me that I should ask you, but only if you wanted to answer."

"Ok, then try and ask." Rachel replied, tenderly.

"You and dad are going to get married soon."

"Yes." She smiled.

"But…you remember the time I came to your apartment and you babysit me? The time you taught me all the pranks?"

"Yes! That was a very funny day!"

Ben continued, serious, "You told me that you and my dad weren't together anymore and then you came to my house and you explained to me that you two you had broken up because you didn't love each other anymore and you wanted just to be good friends."

Rachel was speechless. Ben was almost ten years. He was so young, and yet he was such a mature sensible boy. This was certainly due to the fact that he'd been grown mostly by two women and his family wasn't a _conventional_ one. Ben had two mothers in his life and a father whose love life had always been a mess, with three divorces and a baby sister born out of wedlock. There was no doubt that Ben was smarter than other boys of his age because of his _weird_ , yet amazing family. Rachel felt a huge amount of love for Ben at that moment. The kid had surely difficulties with his schoolmates, Phoebe had once mentioned something about quarrels with Sting's son. No, it wasn't easy to grow up as Ben Geller. But Rachel made a promise to herself to be there for this wonderful kid even more than before, from then on.

"Sweety, you must understand that your father and I have a very complex relationship. You were just a few months old when we got together for the first time. Ross and I loved each other very much. I used to spend a lot of time with you, too. I learned a lot about babies from you, you spoke your very first word when I had you in my arms!"

"What did I say?" Ben asked, curious.

"Just _Hi_. But it was really exciting!"

"Then what happened?"

Rachel didn't want to get into details, "Well…something really bad happened to destroy the bond between Ross and me. Something that you can't understand now, because you are still so young. Maybe your father will explain this to you one day, okay?"

"Okay!" Ben nodded.

"Anyway…Ross and I broke up. And since then everything became very different. Your father also got married, you know?"

"Yes, he told me, with Emily, the English lady."

"Right. You remember her?"

"Not really, I saw her a couple of times and mom says I was too little to go to the wedding to London. Dad doesn't like to talk about it."

Rachel was secretly glad that Ben didn't remember anything about Emily.

"Well the wedding lasted so little that I'm not surprised that you don't remember her. And between you and me, I never really liked her."

"Of course you didn't, she wanted to take dad away from you." Ben joked and smiled.

Rachel thought again that this kid was getting even cuter than she thought he would ever be.

"But why didn't you and dad get back together after Emily went back to England?"

Rachel sighed. "You know what, Ben? I guess we were just…two stupid people who were in love with each other but were too stubborn to admit it. And we made a lot of mistakes in the years that followed." She thought about the wedding in Vegas. "However, one day, something really magical happened to change everything."

"My little sister was born."

"What did your father tell you when I got pregnant, Ben? And what did your moms think about it? Can you tell me?"

"Well…Mom told me that you were waiting for Emma and I was going to have a little sister. Mom…I mean, Susan, was so amused by the news. She kept saying that you would finally get back together. They also bet about it!"

"Really?" Rachel thought about Carol and Susan, betting about her and Ross's relationship. They knew them pretty well.

Ben nodded, "I thought too that you and dad were back together. But when I spoke with him about it, he explained to me that you were not. He told me that you were having a baby because you knew that I wanted a little sister or brother so badly and my moms couldn't make me one."

Rachel giggled, "Yes, this seems like an explanation made up by Ross. You know what, Ben? You're almost ten and you have the right to know the truth. Your father and I weren't together as a couple when we decided to make Emma. But you can be sure of one thing: when we made her, we really loved each other."

"But you lived together when you were pregnant, didn't you?"

"Yes, sweetie. And we were very much in love at that time, but we were too afraid to confess our feelings. I don't know if you can understand this."

"I think I do, Aunt Rachel."

"When Emma was born, I was so glad that she had an older brother, you know?"

"Why?"

"Because I didn't have any. But I saw your father and your Aunt Monica and I knew that they cared about each other so much and Ross is always so protective and he is such a wonderful brother for her. I know that you'll always be the same for Emma. A caring amazing brother who will always love her and help her, even if she has a different mother than yours."

"I will, Aunt Rachel." He replied, very serious.

"And I hope that even if I'm not your real mom, now that I'm becoming your dad's wife, you will love me as a mother, too."

"Of course! I really wanted to tell you, I'm so happy that you are marrying dad! I was hoping for you two to get back together all these years!"

"Really?"

"My moms taught me that the most important thing in life is being with the ones we love. When I used to visit dad for the weekends and we were alone, something weird often happened."

"What?"

"He talked about you all the times! He took me to a place and said, _I went there with Aunt Rachel_. Or we watched a movie and he said, _Aunt Rachel really likes this_. And since Emma was born, it got even worse! I knew that even if dad wasn't with you, you _were_ with him."

"Oh, Ben!" Rachel was stunned by this revelation.

"So that time that dad took me to see you and we spent the day together I was happy to finally know you better. I realized why dad loved you so much. I mean, you are funny, Aunt Rachel!"

"Thank you, Ben. You are too." Rachel answered, on the verge of crying.

"When Emma was born, I hoped that you and dad got back together. And now that it happened, I am very happy!"

Rachel's tears streamed down her face. "Come here, Ben." She hugged him, tenderly. "You are amazing, kiddo. Are you sure you are only ten?" she sniffed.

"Nine and a half!" he replied.

"Oh, yeah!" she wiped the tears away with a hand. "Anyway…I want you to think about me as you want. I know that I'm going to be your stepmother, but from now on I can be Aunt Rachel, or a big sister, or a mom, whatever you want, Ben. I don't want to put pressure on you, ok?"

"So…I don't have to call you mom? Because I already have two moms and the idea of having a third one is a bit too much, even for me. I don't know what my schoolmates would think about it!"

"No, sweetie. You can go on and call me Aunt Rachel, if you wish."

"But you are not my Aunt anymore. I can call my Aunt Monica like that, or Aunt Phoebe. What if I call you just _Rachel_?"

Rachel smiled, "That's my name. You can use it. Also _Rach_ , if you want to."

Ben grinned, "Cool! And why do you often call me and dad _sweetie_ or _honey_?"

"Because that's how you name someone that you love very much."

"Dad calls you that."

Rachel nodded.

"He loves you very much, like my moms love each other."

"Yes, Ben, he does. He always has."

"And you love him too, really?" Ben questioned her.

"Wanna keep a secret? In spite of everything that has happened between Ross and me – and as I promised you, we'll talk about it one day when you are a lot older over a pitcher of real margaritas – I'm pretty sure that I'm in love with your father even more than he loves me. I'm so looking forward to marry him."

Ben seemed satisfied by her answer, "You know, Rachel. I'm very happy that you are marrying dad! Now I am sure; dad, Emma and I can keep you!"

"Well, thank you, Ben!"

She was almost standing up, when she thought of another little thing.

"Honey, your father and I are discussing a little subject these last days. We are thinking about…having another baby." Ben looked at her in silence. "How would you feel about it?"

Ben stared at her for a couple of seconds.

"I think it would be amazing!" he screamed. "Can it be a boy this time?"

Rachel chuckled, "Let's see, Ben. We can't decide in advance, I'm afraid!"

Rachel thought again to the wonderful conversation she'd just had with Ben. She remembered the days they had spent together when he was a toddler and his first words.

She recalled the day when Monica had made him jump and hit his head over the wooden beam across the ceiling. She smiled to herself and realized that maybe having a boy wasn't a bad idea at all.

"Ok…but about the names…"

"No, Ben! We have already talked about this. We can't give Marvel superheroes names to your siblings!"

"Actually I was thinking about a girl name."

"Which one?"

"Isabella."

Rachel was surprised. "Did your father tell you that name?"

"Nope. But I like it. I read a book with a girl named Isabella and I liked it."

Rachel remembered that Isabella and Delilah were the last names she and Ross had chosen before she realized that they didn't suite their baby girl. Hopefully, Monica had revealed the name she'd picked for her baby and they had decided to call their little one Emma.

But if she thought about it now, Isabella was a wonderful name. And it also reminded her of another dialogue she'd had with Ross the year before.

 _They were at Monica and Chandler's with Amy when Rachel had received the call from their babysitter Molly, informing that she couldn't keep Emma because she was sick. Seeing that none of the guys could watch Emma, Amy had volunteered to take care of the baby on her own._

 _Ross had dragged Rachel by her arm to the other side of the room, "Well, can I talk to you for a sec?"_

" _Yeah?"_

" _Um, I do not want her baby-sitting our child."_

" _Why not?"_

" _Well, for one thing, she keeps calling her Ella!"_

 _Rachel had tried to defend her sister, "Wha.. well, Ella's a nice name!"_

" _Fine, we'll call the next one Ella!"_

 _Rachel had looked shocked, "Wha... the next one!?"_

The look between them had lasted only a couple of seconds because Ross had changed argument. He was still with Charlie at that time, and they weren't in that place. And yet, that sentence had meant a lot to Rachel. Ross had seemed confused after those words, he'd spoken about Amy and forgotten what he'd just said. But the simple fact that he had implied to have another child with Rachel, even if unconsciously, had driven chills down her spine.

 _Ella's a nice name._

 _Fine, we'll call the next one Ella!_

And it reminded her of Isab-ella.

"You know what, Ben? I think your father may enjoy the name Isabella very much."

Ben grinned and hugged Rachel.

* * *

PS: I know that Ben is only 10, but as a son of 2 mothers and with his family status, I believe that he might be very mature for his age. And he is very smart as a son of Ross (who has a phd) and Carol (who is a teacher), so is pretty believable that he talks pretty well - at least that's what I think.


	8. Reminders of a double date

This chapter is another close encounter with an old acquaintance, as I promised before.

Maybe Ross and Rachel will be a little out of character, but I really don't care =)

I want to say that the idea came to my mind when I read a lovely fan fiction that I suggest to you, " _Growing up_ " by **Aislinn Carter**. If you are roschel shippers – as I am, you should all go and read it. It's so well written and so lovely.

Thanks a lot for the reviews!

* * *

Charlie Wealer was still living in New York, but she wasn't working in Ross's Department anymore. Since she'd got back with Benjamin Hobart, they'd been living together and doing research for the _Dewar Institution_ , the same that offered a grant for which Ross had applied a year before.

In that nice day of March, New York was beginning to show signs of the spring that was coming and Charlie and Benjamin had decided to go and have lunch in one of their favorite restaurants. It was a lovely bistro near to the NYU, where many scholars used to have lunch between lectures.

Charlie was early, so she was sitting at her table, waiting for Benji to show up.

She was drumming her fingers on the table, when she looked up from her hands and she suddenly saw them. It was one of those weird things, something you don't expect to see so you are unprepared to face.

The couple was entering the restaurant. The man was helping the woman taking off her coat and she was smiling at him. One of the waiters immediately approached them to ask how many people would sit down, and the woman replied that there were only the two of them.

Charlie stared at them in disbelief, trying to analyze their behaviors. When the waiter leaded them to one of the tables, the man moved the chair to help the woman sitting down so that she was giving her back to Charlie. Then he sat in front of her and said something. They both started laughing and when Charlie heard them, she found herself starting to smile. She couldn't understand where that smile was coming from, she just knew that something really amazing was happening inside her since the moment she had realized that those two were now _together_. She felt joy, affection, love. Emotions that she usually felt only when she thought about Benji or when she was with him.

She gazed at those two intently and she thought, " _Go figure, they got back together in the end._ "

 _Ross and Rachel_.

She realized that she couldn't be happier for them. And she knew that this was weird, because Ross was one of her ex-boyfriends, he'd been an important man in her life, wasn't it ridiculous to be so extremely glad to see him back with another woman? Even more if she thought about their reminders and the awful situation they had lived with the whole Rachel and Joey _fiasco_?

And yet, she couldn't help but smile when she saw Ross taking Rachel's hand and kiss it lovingly while they were waiting for the waiter to come back to take the order. Rachel bent her head tenderly, Charlie was sure that she was looking at Ross with the same tender look that he was giving her.

Charlie knew that Ross and Rachel being together was how it should have ended. It was like the quintessence of love. And she was sure of that, because she was feeling this weird sensation on her stomach, those butterflies that she felt only when she was with Benjamin.

Seeing them today, she almost couldn't believe that she'd spent with them the worst moment of their relationship, when they'd been so far from each other that they'd almost lost their friendship, too.

She remembered very well the horrible night of that double date.

* * *

 _Joey, Charlie and Rachel had entered Ross's apartment together only to find him already quite out of himself._

" _I thought I heard voices! Hi Charlie!" he'd said with a squeaky voice, kissing her on the cheek._

 _Then he'd hugged Joey. "Hi Joey."_

" _Well, hey."_

 _"And…uh…Oh! You're gonna have to introduce me to your new girlfriend."_

 _Ross had chuckled nervously and Rachel had shared a confused look with Joey. Charlie had looked at Ross with a worried and nervous expression._

" _I'm just kidding, I know Rachel, I know!"_

 _Then Ross had squeezed her hand vigorously, but totally avoiding her eyes._

" _Come, please come in. Come in."_

" _Okay, uh, well, we brought you some wine."_

" _Oh! That is so thoughtful."_

 _Ross then had addressed himself to Joey, "She's a keeper."_

* * *

Charlie had known that Ross had been trying so hard to disguise the incredible discomfort that was affecting him. She was happy to be with Ross; he was an amazing man, a brilliant scholar and very fascinating. She was relieved that Rachel was dating Joey, because she'd realized that as long as she had someone else, her own relationship with Ross could continue.

Ross had told her very little about his past relationships, but Charlie had understood one important thing; he'd often dated not so brilliant women, or at least women who'd never realized that Ross had never fallen in love with them because there had always been one person in Ross's mind, and that was Rachel. Charlie was the only one who'd discovered this evident truth. She was smart, even too much. She knew that in Ross's heart there was place just for Rachel, and that night she had realized that their relationship would never become serious. Gee, that night all of this had been so obvious that _even Joey_ had realized that.

Charlie was pondering so much that she almost didn't notice that Ross had seen her. She saw him tell something to Rachel, then the woman turned around and made a huge smile and waved her hand to greet her, "Charlie! Hi!"

Charlie smiled and stood up from the chair, walking towards them.

Ross and Rachel stood up as well; Rachel kissed Charlie, "My God, how long has it been?"

Ross hugged her and invited her to sit down with them, "Are you here on your own?"

"Actually, I'm waiting for Benjamin."

"You're still together?" Ross asked, "I'm so happy for you!" he said, sincerely.

"Really?" Charlie questioned him, not so convinced.

"Of course! I know we didn't leave things between us in the best possible way" he chuckled, "But…it's pretty obvious that this is how it was supposed to be."

He cast a glance at Rachel and stroke her hand, she blushed tenderly. Charlie felt those butterflies in her stomach once again. She wondered when Benji would arrive.

"So, guys, you got back together in the end?"

"That's what it seems like" Rachel giggled.

"What about Joey? I mean, I know that it didn't work out between you two, but…"

Rachel sighed, "Well…actually it never even started between Joey and me. That night with the four of us was one of the few times we went out. It took us a couple of days to realize that we weren't meant to be together. Now he's in L.A., he's trying to make it big out there."

"So cool!" Charlie smiled, "And how's the rest of the gang?"

"Well, Phoebe got married and now she's waiting for a baby, she's due in October." Rachel told her.

"And your sister?"

"Monica and Chandler moved to Westchester almost a year ago, they adopted two wonderful babies, Erica and Jack." Ross told her.

"Oh, I remember they were trying to adopt, I'm so glad they actually did it!"

"Yeah, the kids are amazing, and they are growing so fast, they are almost one year already!"

"And how's Emma?"

Rachel smiled, "Emma is our princess. She's almost three now, and we couldn't be more proud of her. Thank god it looks like she took her father's intelligence."

"And fortunately she has your inclination for fashion, your kindness and your incredible beauty. She got the best of both worlds."

The waiter arrived to take the order, "Shall we?"

"Charlie, why don't you stay with us, at least until Benjamin arrives?"

"I don't know; I don't want to disturb…"

Ross chuckled, "Come on, it'll be nice!"

Charlie looked at Rachel to find reassurance, when she saw her smile, she nodded, "Ok, thanks!"

The waiter took their orders, then he disappeared again.

"So, how's Benjamin doing?" Ross asked.

"Would you believe me if I told you that he may be a candidate for another Nobel prize?"

Ross opened his eyes widely in a comical way, "Well, at least I got a tenure."

Rachel laughed and so did Charlie.

"That man is brilliant, even if…he's little over the edge."

Charlie chuckled, "I know…but as you two both know very well, you can't rule the heart."

Rachel and Ross glanced at each other.

"By the way, Ross…I really wanted to tell you how much sorry I am for the way it ended between us. That day in Benjamin's office…My behavior was really inappropriate."

"Honey, you never really told me how you two split up." Rachel said, curious.

"It was really embarrassing. Let's just say that Charlie saw Benjamin after a few months and they both realized that…they belonged together. So I was…delicately put aside."

"Delicately? Ross, we started a heavy make-out session in front of you and you had to leave the room!"

Rachel burst out laughing and Ross glared at her.

"Sorry honey. Well Charlie, actually the fact that your relationship ended was one of the reason that helped Ross and me to reconcile and get together again. Joey and I had broken up a few weeks before and these two things happening at the same time made us understand that we needed to be two better parents for Emma. That we needed to spend more time together with her. That and…a few other things that happened later. So I guess that in a way…I should thank you for splitting up with Ross in such a bad way."

"Can I ask you something? How did you guys end up together in the end? Ross used to say that between the two of you was really over. And after that disastrous night of the pinchers of margaritas I thought that your relationship was a mess. So, what changed?"

"Well…a few months later I was fired from my job at Ralph Lauren and I was offered a very important position at Louis Vuitton, but the job was in Paris."

"Paris?" Charlie asked, astounded.

"Yeah. I was going to leave, but before getting on the plane Ross chased me to the airport and confessed me that he still loved me." She stroked his cheek while saying this. "He asked me to stay in New York with him. The short version is that I decided to stay."

"Short version?" Ross almost screamed. "The _fair_ version is that you got on the plane anyway and you were almost going to leave!"

"That's so not true! I wasn't going to leave; I was on that plane for less than 8 minutes and I immediately called you to leave the message on your voice mail, and when I finally got off the plane you'd already left and I took a cab to get back home ASAP!"

Charlie laughed as she watched their interaction.

Ross smiled tenderly, recalling that wonderful night, "She got off the plane to stay with me."

"Since then we've lived together and after one month I've started to work for Prada. But the truth is, the most important thing in my life is my family. I couldn't be happier."

"Me too." Ross smiled.

Charlie grinned, "I see. Can I tell you something?"

"Sure."

"That night of our double date…we were coupled in a certain way, you know. I was with Ross and you were with Joey. But I felt like we didn't fit. You know when you play _Tetris_ and you move a piece to insert it in a hole but you do it in the wrong way and it ruins your tile? Well that night I had that feeling. We were like pieces of _Tetris_ matched in the wrong way. I knew that Ross and I could be a great couple, and you and Joey had compatibility, but then…there was the toast moment…"

"What...what toast moment?" Ross asked.

"You don't remember, uh?" Rachel asked him.

"After how many margaritas did that happen?"

Rachel chuckled.

* * *

 _Ross came out of the kitchen with the umpteenth glass of margarita in his hand._

" _Everyone? I would like to make a toast…to Rachel and Joey."_

 _Knowing that this wasn't going anywhere good, Rachel sigh, "Ooy."_

 _The three people sitting took a glass to imitate Ross._

" _And to love."_

 _Thinking that Ross had finished, Rachel started to drink, but Ross continued to talk._

" _Ah, love. L-O-V-E, love._ _ **L**_ _is for life. And what is life without love?"_

" _Oh my god, are we supposed to answer?" Rachel asked Joey, worried._

" _ **O**_ _is for "oh, wow!"_

 _Rachel thought for a second how much Ross was funny, even in this embarrassing moment. Joey, instead, started to get worried for his condition. Charlie was curious to see where he would go with this toast._

" _The_ _ **V**_ _is for this very surprising turn of events, which I'm still fine with by the way."_

 _Once again, Charlie, Joey and Rachel almost started to drink, but Ross wasn't over._

" _ **E**_ _…" he screamed, with a squeaky voice, "is for how extremely normal I find it…that you two are together." Joey looked at Rachel and then stroke his thigh, uncomfortably._

 _Rachel started to feel bad for Ross's words for the first time during the evening._

" _And that one day you might get married and have children of your own."_

 _Rachel's eyes were fixed on Ross. Charlie couldn't help but look at her. Those weren't the eyes of a woman who knew what she was doing. Those weren't the eyes of a woman who was fine with what she was doing. Even when Rachel lowered her look to avoid seeing Ross in that condition, Charlie kept her gaze on her. At that moment she knew that Rachel was feeling exactly like Ross. She wasn't fine. And she had her confirmation a few seconds later, when Joey asked Ross, "Dude, are you okay?"_

" _Totally." He replied, drinking and trying to avoid the tears._

" _Ross, you don't seem okay." Rachel said, looking at him again. There, she had finally admitted that Ross wasn't ok and maybe so wasn't she._

 _Ross was on the verge of tears: "I'm sorry, it must be the pressure of entertaining."_

* * *

"I've never been really good at understanding other people's feelings, I am a rational person, I am a scientist, you know. But that night, I saw your face after Ross said that thing…and I just knew that between you and Joey it would never work. I mean, I looked at your face and I saw that you were feeling what Ross was feeling. You weren't sure of what you were doing."

Rachel was listening to Charlie very carefully, speechless.

"The only thing I didn't understand was if you were just feeling guilty because you were afraid to hurt Ross and losing his friendship, or if you were still in love with him but you didn't want to admit it. And that's why I didn't stepped aside immediately. Then, when I found out that between you and Joey hadn't worked out…I realized that I'd been right all along. Nobody ever told me why you and Joey broke up, not even Ross. Well, we never really saw each other anymore after that double date. Though, I knew it anyway."

Rachel was feeling almost uneasy, "Charlie…nobody ever told me something like that…or understood me so well. I'm amazed. You should be a shrink, not a paleontologist! You're a better observer than you think!"

"Well, thanks. I take it as a compliment."

"It is, believe me."

Ross took Rachel's hand, "I'm so sorry that I don't remember those details."

He also thought that he would clarify this subject with Rachel, later.

"Anyway, Charlie…I want to point out something. I am really sorry for whatever happened that night. I don't want you to think that our relationship didn't mean anything to me. I really felt something deep for you, especially in Barbados. I know that it's difficult to believe, because Rachel has always been the one for me. But…I'm sorry honey, I got to say this…" he squeezed Rachel's hand "I really liked you, Charlie, and I hope you know this. I don't want you to think that while we were together I only thought about Rachel, because we really had a nice time."

Charlie nodded, thankful for Ross's words.

"Sweetie, you don't have to be sorry for that, it's all in the past now. And we've already agreed that our relationship has always been twisted and complicated, everybody knows that. Charlie, a few months ago we've met Julie Nelson, do you know her?"

"She was your ex-girlfriend, wasn't she?" she asked Ross. "I love her work, she's brilliant!"

"And I slept with both of you!" Ross grinned.

Rachel glared at him and Charlie chuckled. Ross coughed nervously and Rachel squeezed his hand a little harder.

"Well, she was Ross's first girlfriend after his first divorce. Unfortunately, she was also the first woman who suffered because of our on-and-off relationship. Ross split up with Julie because…I confessed him that I loved him for the first time."

Charlie opened her mouth in wonder.

"So, believe me…many people got hurt because of us. Probably the one who suffered the most was Ross's second wife, Emily." Rachel sighed.

Ross looked at Rachel in astonishment, he couldn't believe that she would mention Emily.

"Maybe we should excuse with her, one day."

"Excuse us for what?! She wanted me to cut you out of my life forever!" Ross blurted.

Rachel smiled sadly and caressed his cheek. Charlie felt like she was watching a romantic comedy, not a scene from the real life.

"Well it was a ve-e-ry complicated story, but it's finally going to have its happy ending." Rachel concluded.

"Meaning…?"

"We're getting married on July 16th, in Hawaii." Ross announced.

"Oh my God, this is amazing! Congratulations, guys!"

Ross and Rachel silently exchanged a meaningful glance. Charlie didn't know, but they were having that lunch together to decide who they really wanted to invite to the wedding.

After that conversation, they both knew that they needed to add another name plus 1 to the list of guests.

"Charlie, would you come to the wedding?" Rachel asked her.

Charlie was caught off guard, "Oh, well…I don't know if I should, I mean…"

"Charlie, Julie is going to be there with her boyfriend. I've met a lot of persons in my life and I think you are one of those people I really want to have with us on our special day."

"Yeah, and Joey is going to be our minister" Rachel continued in addition. "And I think the others would be happy to see you again. Moreover, after this conversation, I think I owe you something. You made me understand important things about myself that I had forgotten."

"And you were right, before. I need to thank you for coming into my life. I'm sure that if you hadn't been there for me during those months, it would have been really difficult for me to accept Rachel and Joey's relationship." Ross confessed.

"I still don't know if it's a good idea…" Charlie made a half smile.

"Charlie, it would be a pleasure to have you. And Ross isn't the only one who should thank you, you know? If I think about it…I am afraid of what my relationship with Joey would have become if you hadn't been there. You were his girlfriend while I was feeling very weird emotions for him. I mean, I've never actually _loved_ him, and Ross knows this. In my life, I've been cursed to love just one man."

"Cursed?!" Ross asked, jokingly.

"Blessed, I meant blessed." Rachel and Ross chuckled. "But we both made mistakes that have created a pretty heavy weight to carry upon our shoulders. But these scars turned us into the persons we are today, and I don't regret them anymore. If Ross hadn't made one of those mistakes, maybe Emma wouldn't be here."

Ross was getting very emotional, but he nodded, "It's true. And hey, we're finally getting married! Emma is with us, we're happy and everything's perfect."

Charlie stared carefully while the couple exchanged affection gestures, such as looks and caresses.

"You're right. And yet, there are things from the past that still scare me sometimes. And Charlie, you were there to help us going through one of those difficult times. I think I couldn't have overcome all the anger I had towards Ross if it wasn't for you."

Once again, Ross thought that he wanted to talk with Rachel about this argument, but he would do it in private, not in front of Charlie.

"Well, Rachel…I don't know what to say…"

"Say that you're coming to the wedding."

"Ok, then, I'll ask Benji and I'll let you know if we can!"

At that moment, Benjamin entered the restaurant and started looking for Charlie.

"Here he is! Well guys, I think I'll join him…would you ask the waiter to take my order to our table?"

"Of course." Ross answered.

"It was a pleasure to see you. I'll definitely let you know if we're coming to the ceremony."

"Check your mail for the invitation!" Rachel recommended.

Both Ross and Rachel stood up to say their goodbyes, then Charlie walked to greet Benjamin, who waved towards their direction before sitting at the table.

"Oh my God, I can't believe that Benjamin Hobart could actually be a guest to our wedding!" Ross exclaimed.

"Ross, relax! He's no Tom Cruise!"

"Well, in paleontology he's more like a Tom Hanks seeing that he's already won two Nobel prizes!"

Rachel laughed and took a pile of papers out from her bag.

"So, can we start with the guests list now?"

"In a minute. Rach…I wanted to ask you…was Charlie right?"

"About what, Hon?"

"That evening with the double date…you were really so upset when I said those things during the toast? About you and Joey getting married and having children?"

Rachel inspired slowly and stared at his lovely puppy dog eyes.

"Sweetie…you were trying to demonstrate that you were fine, but I **knew** that you weren't. You kept making all those silly jokes to show Joey and me that you could get over us, but I knew you couldn't. And I knew that you cared for Joey, but you simply couldn't accept the idea that I was in love with him because you knew that he wasn't just _some guy_. You knew that if I was starting things with him it wasn't just a…whim. It was something important. And you were scared about it."

Ross nodded and remembered the conversation they'd had about Joey a few months before.

"Yeah…I knew that you wouldn't jeopardize the balance of the gang for a _fling_. And most of all, I knew that Joey wouldn't have started a relationship with you if he wasn't sure of your feelings, because he cares too much about our friendship."

"Yeah, he said that to me the day after. He was so happy that you'd talked and clarified everything…But that night, when you said those things about me and Joey having children on our own…I started to be uncertain for the first time."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Joey had decided to stay back at your place to check on you. So, when I got home, I kept thinking about your words. I went to Monica and Chandler's to fetch Emma because I thought it was useless to let her sleep with them, since I was home. I don't know why, but I kept her sleeping in bed with me and I couldn't help but looking at her. For the first time I wondered, _what am I doing_?"

"Rach…"

"I felt again that feeling that I loved Emma so much because she was _our_ daughter. Remember what I told you about Emma? About the fact that I loved her so unconditionally since I found out that I was pregnant because she was YOUR baby?"

Ross nodded. Of course he remembered.

"Well, I started to wonder if I really saw a future with myself and Joey in it. If I saw myself married with him, with his children. And I doubted for the first time that our relationship would work in the long-term. But then I decided to let the doubts go, it was just the beginning of the story, I thought that maybe I was just scared because I was too worried for your reaction..."

"Oh honey…" Ross bent to kiss her. "Listen, what did you mean when you said that Charlie helped you to overcome the anger you felt towards me?"

Rachel smiled, "You don't let anything go, do you?"

"Uh-uh." He grinned.

"Well, you met Charlie a few weeks after the fight we had about Gavin and the guy of the bar, when I decided to move out."

"Yeah…"

"Well, you must agree that was the worst fight we had after we broke up, Ross."

Ross thought about it for a couple of seconds. Yes, they had fought over the years. After he'd told Rachel that Emily wanted him not to see her anymore, for example. Or when Rachel had found out that he'd not asked for the annulment of their wedding. But none of those arguments compared the one they had when Rachel had decided to move back with Joey, she was right.

"That was the only moment I thought that it was over, Ross. I felt that we couldn't reconcile anymore, not as a couple at least. If Charlie hadn't appeared into our lives, maybe I would have thought that being with Joey could be the solution to our problems. I could have convinced myself that I would fall in love with him, but that would have been a lie. Charlie's presence has been like a…spur. A call to action."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, when she was with Joey I hated her guts because I wanted so much to be with him, that was just…some physical attraction, you know? Later, when Joey and I split up, whenever I saw you and Charlie together I kept feeling again that little thing in my stomach, how do you call it…"

"Jealousy?" Ross grinned.

"Yes, sweetie. Unfortunately, jealousy has always been a huge component of our relationship. There were times in which it ruined us, but other times, if it was healthy, it really helped us. The day Monica told me that it was over between you and Charlie, I thought… _yes, this makes sense_."

"What a liar!" Ross almost screamed. "So, that day you told me you were sorry for me, it wasn't true?" he chuckled.

"Of course, you know that I've always been jealous of your ex-girlfriends! Except Carol, but, uh, maybe in that case, you're the one who should be jealous…"

Ross laughed.

The waiter came back to bring the food and Ross politely asked to bring Charlie's dish to her table.

Before starting to eat, though, he looked at Rachel, "So, let me think. Carol, Julie, Charlie…"

"…Yes?" she asked.

"What do you say, should I make an intercontinental phone call and add Emily to the guests list?"

Rachel squinted at him, "Don't even think about it, or I'll marry you just to make you file for a divorce for the fourth time!"

Ross laughed and kissed her.


	9. Meeting Mr Jones

**chloe2007** asked me if I could make a chapter where Emma got sick with the flu and Ross and Rachel and the gang took care of her.I don't know if this is what you wanted, but I decided to accept the request. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter.

 **PLEASE** , don't review to ask following chapter because I'm not going to update anytime soon.I'll be updating when I can, not before late September or October and I don't know when exactly, ok?I'll try to keep this on, but real life is as important as this!

* * *

"Joey, don't touch the cake!" Rachel shouted.

"Why do we always have to do this?" he retorted.

"This year I've got the perfect cake, I don't want anyone to taste it before Emma, ok?" Rachel pleaded.

"Ok, but I've got to tell you: you're becoming more and more like Monica!"

Rachel scoffed, and she exited the kitchen with a tray of canapés in her hands and Joey following her like a starving dog.

All the guests were waiting for Emma to wake up from her nap to start the party. Emma was turning three years old on the 4th of April, which was the following day, but Rachel and Ross had decided to celebrate her birthday on Sunday. Joey had flown from Los Angeles the former Friday and he'd been staying at Monica and Chandler's since then.

Mike and Phoebe were still trying to get accustomed to the thought that they would be parents soon, and the fact that Phoebe was in the phase of the terrible morning sickness - which still happened in the evening for her – wasn't very helpful.

Susan and Carol were sitting on the couch, talking nicely with Monica and Chandler. Ross's sister was still very fond of her ex-sister-in-law, which had been a huge part of her life and had given her the gift of her first nephew. Ben was playing with the PlayStation, obviously with the _Jurassic Park_ game that Ross had bought for his son - even if Rachel knew very well that Ross loved to play to relax a bit after a long day of work, when Emma was asleep, and Rachel was having a shower.

"So, are we going to see Emma today, or this will be basically a repetition of her first birthday party?" Chandler asked Rachel. The woman glared at him.

"Fine, I guess everything's ready to wake up our little princess. Ross are you ready?"

Ross and Emma surfaced from the corridor, he looked very worried.

"Rachel, I think Emma's not fine..."

"What?" Rachel ran towards them.

"What's wrong with our baby?" Sandra asked, suddenly preoccupied for her granddaughter.

"Mommy, me not fine." Emma declared, hugging her father and leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Oh, Sweetie, what's the matter?"

"She's pretty warm, Rach, maybe she's got a fever. I think we should get her to the pediatrician." Ross murmured, leaning his cheek on Emma's head.

Rachel touched Emma's forehead and realized immediately that Ross was right, Emma was actually very warm.

"You are right, we'd better go...Oh, guys, I'm so sorry..."

"Honey, don't even think about it..." Monica said, looking at Chandler with Erica in his arms. "Emma's health comes first. I'm just sorry that this day won't turn out as you had planned."

Monica knew that Rachel was already upset for the fact that her sisters had decided not to come. She had really hoped that at least Amy would be able to be present to the party this time, but she had declared that she was too busy decorating her new boyfriend's apartment to lose an entire Sunday over a three-year-old's birthday. Jill, instead, had been very careful to plan a trip to Paris with her best friend Mia on the first week of April, just to be sure to have an excuse to miss Emma's birthday again.

Even if Rachel was used to her sisters' behaviors, she always hoped that they would change and grow up, because they were Emma's aunts. But after today, she was losing hope.

Rachel looked at Monica and shared with her a knowing look.

"We'll wait for you to come back; we can always let the party start a little bit later, if Emma gets better." Judy proposed, holding little Jack in her arms.

"Joey, you came all this way..." Rachel excused herself, while Ross put a jacket over Emma and walked towards the door.

"Don't worry, Rach, just think about Emma. And hey, while you are away..."

"No, you can't touch the cake!" Rachel screamed. "Monica, please, you are in charge!"

"And…suddenly we are back to two years ago!" Chandler pointed out.

Rachel sighed and said goodbye to the others, following Ross out of the apartment.

"I can't believe we are stuck here waiting for them, again." Phoebe exclaimed.

"Come on, it's completely different!" Monica tried to ease the tension.

"How is that?" Chandler wondered.

"Well, Susan, Carol and Ben are here. And so is Sandra, for example, and Mike!"

"The fact that more people are in jail doesn't change the rule that you still need to roll doubles on the dice to get out of it without paying 50 dollars!" Chandler quipped.

Everybody laughed, and Ben shouted, "Ehy, Uncle Chandler, why don't you all play _Monopoly_?"

Joey started to grin, "You know what we could play?"

Chandler, Monica and Phoebe retorted in unison, "No _Strip-Monopoly_ , Joey!"

* * *

After calling the pediatrician's assistant, Ross and Rachel had found out that he was at his office because he had been called by a few other parents and he'd decided to receive them even if it was Sunday.

"He's such a sweetheart." Rachel had commented, after terminating the phone call in the car.

"I don't know what we're going to do since he's almost getting a retirement."

"Well, you'll need to find a real doctor for sure!" Rachel laughed at him.

Ross glared at her for a second, "You know I already did!"

"Come on, I was just kidding!" Rachel then gazed at her daughter sitting behind her, "How you doin, Ems?"

"Mmm…tired, Mommy."

"We're almost there, honey."

* * *

Rachel and Ross were waiting in Dr. Gettleman's office lobby. There was another couple with a little boy waiting for their turn. Their son was younger than Emma, he seemed to be 3 or 4 months-old tops, and his name was Michael. During the waiting, Rachel stared intently at the dynamic of the couple and noticed that they seemed very nervous. The boy kept crying in his mother's arms and the father seemed to be really inexperienced.

So she couldn't help but thinking about her family. Emma was snuggling on Ross's lap, keeping her thumb in her mouth – a bad habit that she'd developed in the last months. Ross was trying to calm her with soothing words and he kept stroking her hair.

This man was such a caring father that there were times when Rachel still wondered how could she had possibly thought to take his daughter away from him.

"Is she still so warm?" Rachel asked Ross.

He nodded in answer. Rachel exhaled in anxiety.

"Uh…maybe it's just a mild flu, Rach. It happens often this time of the year. Don't worry too much." He took her hand and kissed it.

Rachel smiled tenderly at him to make him understand that she wanted to thank him for this little gesture of reassurance and she took a glance at the woman sitting at the other side of the lobby. She saw a little glimpse of envy in her eyes, and for the first time in her life, Rachel felt proud not only of her family, but of what her family represented to other people. Maybe they hadn't started in the more conventional way, and the first year of Emma's life she and Ross hadn't been together. But now here they were, the perfect family. She couldn't ask for more.

The door of the Doctor's office opened and a tall man with a boy in his arms came out of the room, a huge smile on his face.

"Thank you, Doctor, I'm so sorry for the trouble…"

"Only doing my job, Mr. Jones. Now…who's turn is it? Michael Livingston?"

While the couple sitting stood up and walked to meet the pediatrician, Rachel and Ross were still too shocked to utter a word.

"Oh my God! Ross, Rachel!"

Rachel was the first to come back to her senses, "Tag!" she screamed. She jumped from her chair and she held her ex-boyfriend, being careful not to hurt the little bundle of joy he was keeping in his arms. Tag couldn't help but notice how beautiful she still looked after all this time. He hadn't seen her in almost four years, but she was even more charming than he remembered. The fact that she was waiting inside a pediatrician's lobby with Ross could mean only one thing, and Tag wasn't really surprised. If they had told him a few years back that Rachel would get back together with Ross one day, he certainly would have bet a huge amount of money because everybody knew they were meant for each other. Everybody saw it, actually. Everybody but them.

"And who's this little sweetheart?"

"This is my Jeremy." Tag introduced his son.

"He's gorgeous Tag. So, you got married?" Rachel asked him.

"Yes, actually, I met Clarisse three years ago and we got married soon after. It was kind of love at first sight, you know? And…she's older than me."

Rachel laughed, "Old habits, die hard!"

Tag chuckled, "Only one year older than me. Jeremy was born six months ago. We are here because we've got a really bad cough and we couldn't sleep well, could we buddy?" Tag asked his son.

Ross watched the man interacting with the baby and smiled unconsciously. He stood up from the chair and moved closer to Tag.

"And where is your wife?" he asked. He was really surprised to realize that he was no jealous at all to see Rachel talking to an ex-boyfriend, he was actually curious to know something about him. Maybe he was really getting older. Or maybe he was just walking in a safe environment, seeing that Tag was married.

"She's home, actually. She's pregnant again."

"Congratulations!" Ross said, and Rachel smiled.

"Wow, our Tag, all grown up!"

"Well… and this little princess is…"

"Emma." Rachel smiled. "She's turning three tomorrow. We were having our birthday party today, but I'm afraid she's got a fever. Emma, say hello to Tag. He's an old friend of Mommy."

"Hello, Tag." Emma whispered.

"Hi, little Bunny. The doctor is very good, he's gonna make you feel better, you'll see." Tag smiled, trying to make Emma feeling better.

"So where do you work now?" Rachel asked, a bit curious.

"Dolce and Gabbana."

"Wow, very masculine!" Ross laughed.

Rachel glared at him, but she noticed that Ross was actually joking, because Tag was also chuckling along.

"I must admit that Rachel's letter of recommendation did the trick, it really helped me with my career when I left Ralph Lauren. I've never thanked you enough for writing it for me."

Ross glanced at his wife-to-be with newfound admiration. This was something he didn't know about Rachel, actually he didn't know so much about Rachel's work life back at Ralph Lauren's. Though, he wasn't surprised; Tag and Rachel had broken up as friends, without unfinished business. Rachel had always been the most kind-hearted woman Ross had known, and it shouldn't amaze him to find out that she'd written a letter of recommendation to help her assistant to find a new job, even if he was her former boyfriend.

Rachel noticed Ross's glance and smiled at him, then she coughed a bit embarrassed and answered, "Well, you are welcome!"

"So, Tag, where do you live?" Ross asked, to hold the conversation.

"Actually we've moved to Long Island three months ago. We bought a house close to the Lincoln High."

Rachel and Ross grinned immediately, "We grew up there!" Ross exclaimed.

"Really?"

"Yes, we went to that school! Monica and I grew up together, I was the cheerleader, the Prom Queen and Ross was…well, he was a geek back then."

Tag laughed at Ross feigned hurt expression.

"What's a geek, daddy?" Emma asked, coming out of her state of numbness.

"Apparently something your dad used to be, honey, don't think about it."

"So that's why your son is Dr. Gettleman's patient, you live in Long Island…and was it difficult to move?"

"What, the change?" Tag asked. "It was a relief, actually. No more cabs, no more sounds to wake you up in the middle of the night, no more horrible smells…"

"Isn't it hard to be a commuter? Going on from house to work every day?" Rachel asked him.

Tag just shrugged, with Jeremy moving in his arms, "I'd do anything for him. He's so happy now, he has so much space for himself. And with a new incoming baby, it was only a matter of deciding if we wanted what was better for us or for them."

Ross and Rachel shared a knowing look and then they both stared at Emma, still leaning on her father's chest.

"Now, I really gotta go guys, it was so great to see you! And, I must say…I'm so happy that you too are finally back together."

Rachel and Ross smiled, and she suddenly realized how many people from their past they had been meeting in the last few months were sharing that thought. It was like a _conspiracy_.

"Yes, I know, it was time…" Rachel answered.

"We're getting married in July."

"Wow, congratulations, then!" he patted Ross's shoulder and gave Rachel a kiss on the cheek.

Tag was almost leaving, when he suddenly remembered something. He turned back towards the couple.

"Ross…I just remembered the last time we saw each other…outside Central Perk…"

"Yeah?"

"I thought you'd said that Emma wasn't your daughter…"

"What?" he asked, stunned.

"Yeah, you mentioned something about some Italian guy… for a moment I thought that Emma's father might have been Joey!" Tag laughed.

Rachel glared at Ross, completely unaware about what those two were meaning with that dialogue, "What?!" she shouted.

"What?" Ross screamed.

"What?" Tag replied, realizing he'd said something inappropriate.

Rachel's eyes went from Tag to Ross, but none of them spoke for a few seconds.

"Well…Jeremy and I really have to go now…Good luck for the wedding, guys!"

"Bye…" Rachel murmured.

Rachel waited for an explanation.

"Rach, believe me, I have no idea what he was talking about…"

"When was the last time you saw him?"

"It happened by chance, we were walking on the street and…oh, we were wearing the same red sweater, the one I had that night, you know?"

"That sweater." Rachel smirked.

"Exactly" Ross smiled, subconsciously kissing his daughter, "Well, we joked about the shirt, then Tag told me something about you, and then he asked me whose shirt was it, and I told him that I supposed it was of some Italian guy."

Rachel squeezed her eyes, "Mmm…I never actually understood Tag's humor. But if the shirt is involved and you met him outside Central Perk before finding out that I was pregnant, I'm pretty sure there might have been some misunderstandings."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Tag was there because Joey had found your red sweater, then Phoebe remembered that Tag had the same shirt. She called him so that I could meet him, because she wanted me to talk with the father of the baby. She didn't know it was you, she thought Tag was Emma's father."

Ross, shocked, covered Emma's free ear with his hand. "How could Phoebe possibly think that?!" He silently screamed "I thought everybody knew that I was Emma's father before me!"

"Yes, but only after you came back to the apartment, informing them that the red sweater was yours."

Rachel smiled. Monica had told her how the scene had happened, and Rachel had always felt sorry that she hadn't been there to see her friends' reaction to the news.

Ross tried to recall that moment in his mind and he remembered that he'd found his sweater on a table in Monica and Chandler's apartment. So that had been the exact moment when the guys had found out.

Rachel waited a couple of seconds, then she took Ross's face in his hands, trying not to disturb Emma, "Sweetie, I've always known that you were Emma's father. I hadn't slept with Tag for months when we got together that night. I never had any doubt, it doesn't matter what Phoebe thought, ok?"

"I know, I know. You've always told me, Rach. By the way, that's just water under the bridge, the only thing that matters is our little angel, I just want to know what's wrong and take her home."

"Yeah…" Rachel stroked Emma's hair.

The door of the Doctor's office opened and the couple exited much more relaxed, with the little boy in her mother's arms. The woman glanced at them and Rachel tried to convey a reassuring look to make her understand that everything would be fine. The woman made half a smile and walked away, while Rachel and Ross entered the Doctor's office.

* * *

Joey was enjoying a round at _Jurassic Park_ with Ben. He was glad that he could play Playstation with him, pretending that he wanted to keep the kid company while he really liked playing the game.

Susan and Carol were chatting with him on the couch, trying to decide whom between Joy and Ben was a better player. Obviously, Joey wasn't losing a chance to put dirty jokes in their conversation to help them decide.

The grand-parents were in the kitchen, having a coffee.

Monica and Chandler were sitting around the table with Phoebe and Mike, while the twins played with their toys on the floor. The four of them were having a deep conversation about babies.

"I thought you were already accustomed to babies, Pheebs." Monica told her best friend.

"Well, I thought so too. Then I realized that I am very accustomed to the delivery part. You know, I had three of them."

Chandler nodded and recalled in his mind the day when Phoebe had had Frank's triplets as one of the best in his life.

"But I am actually scared about the whole…being a mom part, because…I don't have such good examples to catch up on."

"Meaning?" Mike asked her.

"Well, my birth mom abandoned me and Ursula. I met her only when I was 29. And I like her a lot, but she's not the motherly type, she's mostly like an older friend…"

Monica nodded, trying to follow her friend's speech.

"And my adoptive mom…well she was sweet and tried to prevent us from pain and sadness, until she committed suicide."

Mike sighed heavily.

"So, what kind of mother will I be? I am so afraid to become like them."

Monica had tears in her eyes. She loved Phoebe so much and she was so sorry to know that she felt like that. She wasn't sure how to help her. But as usual, it was Chandler who came to her rescue.

"This is ridiculous, you are going to be an incredible mother, Phoebe!" Chandler encouraged her. "Won't she, Mon?"

"Of course, you will! This isn't some gift that you are born with, or that you inherit. It's something that you learn, day by day. I mean, look at us." She pointed at herself and Chandler.

Phoebe scoffed, she thought that Monica and Chandler, like Ross and Rachel, were terrific parents.

"Well, we found ourselves with twins. Yo-ho, TWINS!" Monica screamed. "Were we scared? Of course. Did anyone tell us how to behave?"

"Nope." Chandler guaranteed. "And if you're looking, there's no handbook, guys. Rest assured, I've checked on the Internet, everywhere." Mike smiled.

Monica looked at her children, "I mean, if Chandler can handle two of them, I think you can handle one, can you Pheebs?" Monica asked her friend.

"Thank you, honey." Chandler replied, in an acid tone.

"Weren't you afraid when you held them for the first time?" Phoebe asked Monica.

Monica grinned. "No. No I wasn't. I felt they were mine for the first moment the nurse put them in my arms. And you know what? The fact that we didn't make them in the usual way makes me feel even more responsible towards them. Because they are a gift and I feel that I have to take care of them in every possible way and love them more than anything in this world."

Chandler looked lovingly at his wife and kissed her forehead. Mike felt the urge to take Phoebe's hand in his.

"Have you guys heard from Erica lately?"

Chandler shook his head, "Not so much, this year we called to greet her for her birthday."

"She's very happy, her life is great. But she asked us not to call so much, she thinks it's better this way." Monica told Phoebe.

At that moment, the door of the apartment opened. Ross and Rachel were back with Emma. The girl was still securely held in her father's arms.

Sandra, Judy and Jack came from the kitchen as soon as they heard the sounds coming from the living room.

"Hi sweetie, so, how did it go?" Sandra asked.

"I'm sorry guys, we must postpone the party…Emma's got the flu." Rachel explained.

"Oh my god…" Monica immediately thought about her babies too.

"Dr. Gettleman said it's a very mild flu, it should pass in a couple of days, but Emma has to be in bed, stay warm and have a lot of rest."

"So, what's the difference between her first birthday and this one?" Chandler questioned.

Rachel just ignored him, "Anyway, the best thing is for you two guys to leave, I hope she didn't infect the kids as well. You too, Pheebs, I don't want you to get sick."

Phoebe nodded, still worried for Emma's health.

Ross disappeared with Emma into the corridor.

Monica saw Rachel's face and noticed the cake on the table. She didn't want her friend's daughter to lose another birthday party like that, because she probably would remember this one.

"Mom." She called Judy. "Would you please take Jack and Erica back to your house, so that we can stay here with Rachel and Ross?"

Rachel stared at her friend.

"Of course honey."

"Just call me if you notice anything weird." She asked her.

"Sandra, do you want a ride home?" Jack asked his old-time friend.

"Thank you, Jack, dear. Rachel, will you call me tonight and let me know how's Emma?"

"Of course mom, thank you for coming…" she kissed her goodbye.

As soon as the parents had left, Rachel hugged Monica, "Thank you for staying."

"That's what sisters are for." She whispered to her. Rachel smiled and hugged her again. Only Monica knew about her inner turmoil caused by the absence of her _biological_ sisters. She loved her so much.

Rachel then noticed there was still a kid in the room, "Carol, do you want to leave too?"

"Oh, please mom, can we stay? Who cares if I get sick?" Ben asked her.

"I care!" Carol replied.

"I can always go to school and infect Mrs. Watson!"

Susan laughed at her son's remark, but Carol sighed. Every day he was getting more and more like his uncle Chandler and like Joey. Hanging out with them so much maybe wasn't such a good idea.

Ross was stroking Emma's hair before tucking her in.

"Honey, you don't have to worry. Your aunts and uncles are here."

"And Benny?"

"Yes, Ben is still here too."

Rachel and Monica surfaced from the corridor to watch the scene.

"But you and mommy don't go away?"

Rachel felt her inside melt, she wanted to cry. Why was Emma afraid to lose her parents?

"Of course not, honey! We are always here with you, always!" Ross kissed her forehead, her cheeks and her nose, and Emma smiled.

"Ok."

"Is there anything we can do to make you feel better?"

"I want Aunt Bi-Be…"

Ross chuckled, Emma still couldn't say Phoebe properly, "Well, Aunt Phoebe it is. Why do you want her, honey?"

"She sings Smelly Cat! Makes me laugh…" Emma explained.

Rachel and Monica shared a look that spoke millions. Monica had a gut feeling that this could be a perfect coincidence to help Phoebe to chase away some fears.

Ross saw them on the door and silently asked them to call Phoebe.

Monica went looking for her in the living room.

"Honey, Emma asked of you…"

"Me? Why?"

"She wants you to sing for her…" Monica told her.

Rachel appeared from the room, "Phoebe, don't feel obliged, I know that you are pregnant, maybe you don't want to get sick…"

"Oh, come on, it's just some stupid flu, Emma asked of me!" Phoebe screamed, getting up and walking towards the bedroom.

Mike and Chandler smiled at each other.

Emma saw Phoebe arriving in the bedroom and smiled at her.

"Hey, sweetheart…what do you want me to sing?" she asked her, sitting on the bed with her.

Ross stood up and put his arm around Rachel's shoulder, watching the scene with sparkles in his eyes.

Rachel and Monica were soon reached by Chandler and Mike.

"Smelly Cat…" Emma asked.

"Ok, honey…"

Phoebe gently caressed Emma's cheeks while she sang.

" _Smelly cat, smelly cat, what are they feeding you? Smelly cat, smelly cat, it's not your…"_

"… _fault_ " Emma finished the sentence.

Rachel had tears in her eyes as she embraced Ross, who tenderly kissed her head.

"Thank you, Aunt Bi-Be…"

"You're welcome, honey."

Mike smiled when his wife looked at him. Phoebe stood up from the bed and walked towards him, "I love you, Bi-Be." He told her.

"Love you too."

Chandler and Monica silently walked out of the room and shared a look full of love, aware that Phoebe wouldn't be afraid of becoming a mother anymore. They hugged and walked back in the living room, followed by the others. Emma had fallen asleep.

"Guys, I want to thank you all for coming, really. I'm so sorry for the way things turned out…"

"I'm sorry Emma is sick, Rachel." Ben said, walking towards her to hug her. Rachel smiled at her step-son and she strengthened in the sensation of this embrace while Carol and Susan admired their bond. In the last few months they'd become so close, and they were very happy to see Ben so attached to both Rachel and Emma. It meant the world, to Ross.

"Well, I'm sorry I had a 3000 miles flight and we still had no cake!" Joey shouted.

"We could eat it anyway, couldn't we, dad?" Ben asked his father.

"Way to go, Ben, taught you well!" Joey exclaimed, patting the kid on the shoulders.

Everybody laughed, then Rachel looked at Ross, "Well, ok, let's eat the damn cake!"

"Ok, I'll get a knife." Ross told her.

"Don't worry too much about Emma, Rachel…I remember the first time Ben had a flu…just keep her warm and change her often, she's going to sweat a lot."

"Oh, and keep her forehead fresh." Susan added.

"Thank you, guys…I'm just worried, it's the first time she's got such a high temperature…"

Ross came back from the kitchen, "Here we go. So, I assume Joey's gonna have the first piece, am I right?"

* * *

That evening, when everybody had gone away, Ross and Rachel were sitting on both sides of Emma's bed, Rachel was on the blanket, Ross on a chair next to the bed. Rachel took a wet rag from Emma's forehead while Ross was taking the thermometer from under her shoulders.

"I feel so powerless…" she confessed.

Ross checked the temperature, "It has lowered!" he exclaimed.

"Oh, thank God!" Rachel smiled, sighing in relief.

Ross took his daughter's hand and kiss it.

Rachel, feeling that she could breathe again and think again properly, shared a feeling with Ross. "You know; it was really surreal to meet Tag like that."

"More surreal than meeting Charlie or Julie?" he asked her, chuckling.

"No, I mean…he's younger than me, and yet he's already married, he has a son… he lives out of the city…"

Ross smiled, "So…"

"So I started thinking that whenever we want to see Mon and Chandler we have one-hour trip to go to Westchester or they have to do the same to come here. Our parents live in Long Island and we always have to travel to ask them to keep Emma for us…"

Ross secretly smiled to himself, because Rachel was starting to realize something that he'd been thinking for a very long time.

"Maybe having a house out of the city is not such a bad idea…and with the wedding and the idea of having another child…"

"Are you serious?" Ross was grinning.

"I guess so."

"Really? Because I've been thinking this kind of things for a few months by now…but I was afraid to tell you because I thought that you might have freaked out."

"Why?"

"Well…hello…remember Scarsdale, two kids, complaining about the taxes?"

Rachel chuckled.

"I thought you could think this was too much too soon, that you would accuse me I was _pulling a Ross_ , as I used to at the good old days…but since I asked you to marry me, I've been wondering if we were ready to buy a house."

Rachel was grinning, Ross could make her laugh as nobody else, she loved him so much. That was one of the reasons she loved him most; he completed her in a way no other man could. Yes, she liked Chandler's jokes and she enjoyed Joey's naïve sense of humor and the way he couldn't get things. But Ross's way of telling funny things was the way it was supposed to make _her_ laugh, the way _she_ loved to laugh. Like it was meant _for her_.

"Want the truth?" she asked him.

"Of course."

"I've been talking to Monica in the last few days. She told me that there are a few houses on sale in their block. Wouldn't it be amazing if we bought one of them and became neighbors again? Isn't it a nice idea?"

Ross looked at Rachel in awe. Like he probably did the first time he saw her. Like he did the night he turned around and saw her in his apartment after getting off the plane.

"I think it's an amazing idea."

"Really?" Rachel smiled, emotion evident in her voice.

"Yes…we can afford it, and there's no better idea than Emma growing up with her cousins and the two of us going back to live next to my sister and our brother-in-law."

Rachel nodded, "So…we are going to do this?"

Ross nodded, too. He stood up and walked around the bed to meet Rachel's gaze, "I think it's the best idea you've ever had. Well, only after getting off the plane. And after leaving Barry at the altar."

Rachel squeezed her eyes and stood up to hug him, "Better than Scarsdale?"

"Much better!" Ross chuckled and kissed her.


	10. A nightmare from the past

Since she'd started working for Prada, Rachel had felt very comfortable in her new position.

Her new boss had decided to hire her after reading her résumé - which was actually quite impressive, and after a very informal and pleasant interview. She'd also asked her why she'd refused the Louis Vuitton offer to go to Paris, and Rachel had explained that there are times that family and love must come first in a woman's life, so she'd decided to stay in New York. Fortunately, her ex-colleague Mark had told her that Prada was searching for a new Director of Accessories Fashion, so here she was.

Rachel's new boss was a very tough woman, who reminded her of Joanna at times, but Lillian was also a very lovely person. A mother herself, she understood that there were times that Rachel needed to take off sooner than expected to fetch Emma if there were any problems. Sometimes she also liked sharing her experiences about her children because Rachel was the only other mother working in her office. They had bonded and they loved working together, Rachel felt very lucky to have found such a great job that she enjoyed so much.

It was the second day of May, and Rachel was particularly happy because after work she had an appointment with Monica and Phoebe to start planning her birthday party and the last details of the wedding, most of all when they would go and try the wedding dress for the last time.

So when Lillian entered her office to greet her, she almost didn't hear her coming in.

"Hey, Rachel, you have a minute?" she asked, knocking on the door.

Rachel came back from her reveries and gazed at her, "Sure, what's up?"

"Well, I wanted to introduce you to a new colleague, he'll be down at the Sales Department, but he's worked a few years for Ralph Lauren, so maybe you know him?"

Rachel smiled, "Wow, who's he?"

Lillian moved aside and let the man come to full view, causing Rachel's smile to disappear from her face and becoming an expression of astonishment.

"Gavin?"

Gavin made a half-smile and walked towards Rachel with his hand in the air, "Well, it sure is a pleasure to see you again, uh?"

"So you do know each other?" Lillian asked.

"Yes." They both replied, trying to conceal their embarrassment.

"So, I'll let you two catch up." Lillian concluded, looking questioningly from Rachel to Gavin. She left the office and closed the door behind her.

Rachel crossed her arms on her chest and glared at Gavin, "So, you left Ralph Lauren too."

"Well, it was time. I wanted something new, and this was a huge opportunity to try something different. I didn't know you worked here, Lillian told me that there was an ex-colleague from Ralph Lauren, but I hadn't thought about you, actually."

"Oh, this is just perfect!" Rachel shouted, waving her hands in the air. "I can't believe you are going to work with me, what the hell am I going to do?"

"Well, we won't have to work together that much, you know…we are in two different departments…" Gavin explained.

"Yeah, sure!"

Rachel was standing next to her desk, watching intently at the picture of Ross and Emma that she kept as her desktop background. She loved that photo, Ross was stunning, with the cutest smile on his face, and Emma was laughing.

"What's the matter, Rachel? Does my presence here cause you so much trouble? Because I have to tell you, I'm not going to change my job for a fling that we had three years ago…"

"No, this is not about us! It's about me and HIM!" Rachel exclaimed, pointing at the computer. "How am I going to tell him that I work with you among any other man!?"

"Tell whom?" Gavin asked, still not understanding Rachel's exasperation.

"Ross!"

Gavin grinned and nodded in approbation. So that was the problem. Rachel and Ross had eventually got back together and now she was afraid of his reaction.

"So, you got back together? We didn't have a chance to talk anymore when you started to work full time at Ralph Lauren, I went back to my department and we didn't see each other anymore."

Rachel sighed, "Well, not at first. We had a huge fight because of you. He saw us kissing that night and he felt betrayed in some way…anyway, we got back together later, and now we are getting married."

Gavin smiled, "I am happy for you. And just for the record, Ross doesn't have to worry, because I have been in a healthy relationship with my girlfriend for a year by now. I love her very much, so I think we should all relax and think about the past…as the past."

"No, no!" Rachel sighed. "You don't know Ross! Since we got back together he's been amazing and mature, but when we were together years ago he used to be very jealous of one of my colleagues, and there was absolutely nothing between us, he was simply my co-worker! What do you think he's going to think when he finds out that I'll have to work with you again, a man who has caused us to fight and almost never got back together again?"

Gavin shrugged, "I honestly don't know what to say, Rachel. I think if he loves you enough, he should trust you."

Rachel scoffed, "If only it were that easy."

"Listen, if you want an advice, you should take things like a Band-Aid, rip it off to make a lot of pain at first but that goes away quickly."

"You know; this reminds me of what my friend Phoebe once said to me when I wasn't ready to tell Ross that I was pregnant…"

"And it helped?"

Rachel shook her head, "No, actually…I told him a few days later. He was the last of all my friends to find out that I was expecting Emma. And he's her father."

Gavin grimaced, "You two sure have a weird history."

"You have no idea!" Rachel chuckled.

They both looked at each other, "Well, Gavin…I'm glad you are back, for what it's worth. I just have to cope with all of this, I'll find a way."

"Of course." Gavin walked away to exit. Then he turned around. "You are not going to tell him, aren't you?"

"Not yet, no."

Gavin nodded. He didn't know Rachel very well, but he understood her. He was sure that her insecurities about her relationship could only create more trouble, but he hoped for her own good that he was wrong.

* * *

When Rachel came home that night, Ross was already waiting for her to come back with Emma and Ben, who were watching _The Lion King_.

"Hi you guys!"

"Hi Rachel!"

"Mommy!"

The kids ran to hold the woman to greet her, Rachel couldn't help but feeling one of the luckiest person alive. Not only she had a wonderful daughter and the cutest step-son, but also an amazing husband-to-be who was cooking…

"Fajitas?" Rachel wondered, entering the kitchen.

"Yeah…you know I'm actually good with Mexican food." Ross chuckled and kissed her. "Hey, you."

"Hi…" she whispered. "I really missed you today…But it was nice to see the girls, Phoebe is getting bigger and bigger each passing day, I swear!"

"Does she know about the sex yet?"

"Well, I think she knows almost everything, since she got pregnant, sweetie."

Ross laughed, "The sex of the baby, Rach!"

"Oh!" she chuckled, "Not yet, she's going to the doctor's next week for her appointment and she's having a sonogram. She can't wait to know. She told me they would like to have a boy. Can you picture Phoebe with a little boy?"

Ross smiled, "Well…I think it would suit her, you know? I've always thought that Phoebe could be a cool, funny mother, I think she would be great with a boy."

"Yeah?" Rachel smiled, putting her arms around Ross's neck. "So you mean I am not a cool, funny mother?"

"Well…you are a tender, protective and VERY sexy mother." Ross stressed on the last words.

"Am I not amusing enough?" Rachel wondered.

"Well, I think both of us are funnier when we are together, you know? Emma loves it when it's the three of us."

Rachel agreed. She remembered when Emma was little and Ross had found out how much she loved hearing _Baby got back_. When Ross and Rachel sang it together for her, the little baby kept laughing for minutes. And now that she was older, the most amusing moments were the ones they spent together as a family, like when they went to the playground or when they visited her cousins, or when Ben was there with them, like that evening.

Rachel heard the notes of _Hakuna Matata_ coming from the living room, Ben was singing the song to Emma. She smiled and placed a soft peck on Ross's lips before letting him go.

"So, how was your day?" Ross asked, resuming his cooking.

That question brought Rachel back to the reality of what had happened at work. Her conversation with Gavin suddenly came back to her mind and she felt bad and almost sick.

She needed to decide whether or not tell Ross about it.

Almost as if he had sensed that something was bothering her, Ross looked back at her, "Rach?"

"Mmm?" she tried to avoid his eyes.

"What's the matter?"

Rachel pondered her options carefully. She knew that she had to tell Ross, she trusted him and he was so different now than eight years before. Surely he would understand that he could trust her as much as she trusted him. They had solved all their issues; they were going to get married in two months. Yet, she was afraid. She didn't want to spoil the wonderful connection that they shared, they'd been so happy for the last few months, everything was perfect. She didn't want to fight before the wedding, or make Ross uncomfortable and drive him mad when they were so close to the ceremony. Maybe all she had to do was just wait.

She wasn't lying, she was just hiding a little piece of truth for his own good.

She didn't want to analyze too much why she felt the need to do this, but she knew that she just couldn't tell Ross about Gavin. Not now.

"Rach? Is something wrong?" Ross asked again, noticing that Rachel had been quiet for a minute.

She shook her head, "Nothing, nothing, Sweetie. I'm just tired, I guess. It was a very long day at work."

"Well, I'll tell you what. Why don't you have a hot relaxing shower while I prepare everything for dinner with the kids? I'm almost ready."

Rachel smiled tenderly and kissed him, "Sounds like a good idea."

Ross stroked her hair and watched her walking out of the kitchen, not too convinced that Rachel had been totally honest before.

 _Whatever it is, she's going to tell you when she's ready_ , he thought to himself.

He sighed and reminded to himself that her birthday was just in three days. Maybe he could do something nice, like going to her office for a surprise visit and take her out for lunch. He just needed to call Lillian the day after to warn her.

* * *

Lillian had met Ross a couple of times, and she'd found him a sensible and respectful man. Rachel had mentioned something about their former on-and-off relationship, but she'd never really gotten into details. Yet, once Lillian had overheard a conversation between Rachel and her friend Monica, who she knew was also Ross's sister. They were talking about a _Julie_ and Rachel was trying to convince her that she was not jealous, so Lillian had guessed that this woman should be Ross's ex-girlfriend. Rachel had been on the edge for all the week before Christmas, and she'd seemed to be herself again only after spending a weekend away with Ross and her children, Emma and Ben. Since then, nothing had seemed to trouble the couple, and Lillian thought that Ross and Rachel complimented each other in every possible way.

At 35 years, she was one of the most beautiful women she'd ever met and she had a true sense for fashion. Ross was charming and had a way to captivate people with words. Rachel always seemed to hang on his lips whenever they were together, and Lillian enjoyed spending time with them and little Emma. Ross was a funny guy, Rachel was entertaining, she was the most humorous worker in the office, all her colleagues (men and women) loved her.

They were both equally stubborn, but they were both ready to let the other win an argument from time to time, especially if it meant that they would gain a smile in return.

And they were both totally devoted to their child, Emma. Lillian couldn't help but notice how much she looked like her mother, and yet she had her father's looks. She was like a perfect combination of her parents.

Lillian had been very happy when Rachel had told her that she and Ross were going to get married. She hadn't been at Prada for long, but they had bonded quickly. Rachel had told her the news with sparkles in her eyes, like if she had been waiting for this all her life.

"It took him long enough." Lillian had told her.

Rachel had sighed, "He was worth the wait." Rachel had replied, smiling dreamingly.

Lillian couldn't realize the importance of that sentence.

On her birthday day, Rachel was still uncomfortable for the feeling of hiding the news of Gavin from Ross. She was trying to behave normally at home, but Ross could tell that there was something different in her, and he couldn't realize what it was.

After waking Rachel up with Emma, who gave her a lot of kisses to celebrate her birthday, Ross had volunteered to take the child to the nursery-school (she'd started after her third birthday). Then he'd gone to the NYU for his usual Thursday lecture.

Rachel had gone to work, where her colleagues had greeted her with a little party to celebrate her 35th birthday. Lillian knew that Ross would show up later to make a surprise, so she tried not to give Rachel to much work to let her have a low profile morning. She knew that Rachel was a hard worker, if Ross wanted to take her out to lunch to celebrate, Lillian thought that she deserved it.

Rachel was in her office, eating a pastry with one of her colleague, when Gavin entered.

She might as well have fainted, because Gavin's expression changed and his smiled turned into a concerned grimace, "Well, happy birthday, Rachel."

She tried to smile at him, "Thank you, Gavin."

He walked towards her, "Well, this is like a déja-vu."

"What- What do you mean?"

"Well…your birthday, your office. We just miss your friend Monica to come in and invite me to your party tonight."

"Well, that's not going to happen, sorry! Ah! See, this is not a real déja-vu!" Rachel pointed her finger at him.

Gavin chuckled, "Ok, ok. Listen, have you spoken with Ross?"

Rachel nodded her head, scoffing "Of course! Yes, I did! What do you think, that I am so scared about his reaction that I would keep your being here a secret from him for three days?"

"You didn't, did you?"

Rachel shook her head, "And why do you always know everything, anyway?"

Gavin smiled, "Listen, Rachel. If you think it may help, we can tell him together. I could invite you and Ross with Emma for dinner and introduce you to Laura."

Rachel stared at him, incredulous, "You'd do that for me?"

Gavin shrugged, "Yeah, you know I've always had a soft spot for people I really despise, like you."

Rachel giggled, "Oh, Gavin, that's so sweet. I'm sure that would help, thank you!" she whispered to him almost in tears, showing how glad she was that he'd had this idea.

At that moment, she saw a man's figure entering the office with a bouquet of white lilies in his hands.

Rachel's eyes caught Ross's.

In her gaze there was pure panic, in his shock and confusion.

She tried to convey all her strength and capacity of dissimulation to get out of that terrible situation. "Honey! Oh my god, what are you doing here?" she walked past Gavin and hugged Ross. He was still trying to understand what was going on.

"I…uhm…here." He gave her the flowers.

"These are wonderful." She murmured, on the verge of tears, this time because she was afraid of what would happen in the next few minutes.

Gavin sighed, realizing at once that the moment had come to help Rachel, because she needed a huge help to face Ross.

"Ross, right?" he reached out his arm towards him to greet him.

Ross was speechless, he just nodded. All of a sudden he saw one of his past nightmares becoming a present reality in front of his eyes.

"Gavin Mitchell."

"Honey, Gavin was just…" Rachel tried to explain.

"Actually I've just arrived." Gavin interrupted Rachel. "I've been hired today and when Rachel's boss told me that there was an ex colleague from Ralph Lauren working here, I thought that it could be a nice idea to come and say hello. I didn't know it was Rachel until this moment!"

"What are the odds?" Rachel tried to laugh. Well it wasn't a complete lie, she thought, just a little changing of the truth. Ross couldn't get angry because Rachel had just found out about Gavin and she was going to tell Ross after that meeting. _Such a brilliant idea_.

Ross looked from Gavin to Rachel, his heart beating slowed down a little bit, "So you two met only today? Of all days…on Rachel's birthday?"

Rachel felt a weird shiver running down her spine. She remembered very well what had happened a few years back on her birthday. On that damned balcony. With Gavin.

She didn't want to be kissed by him, and yet it had happened and she hadn't stopped it. And that had been the beginning of the worst period in her relationship with Ross. Because of that kiss that Ross had witnessed from the window in their apartment, he had started to believe that she wanted to move on from their relationship and then one thing had led to the other and she had moved out to go back living with Joey.

She was pretty sure that Ross was thinking the very same thing, even if Gavin had no idea of what was in their minds at that moment.

"Well, I didn't even remember it was her birthday, just a coincidence." Gavin chuckled.

"Yeah, the girls were making a little party for me, Lillian organized everything, she's such a sweetheart." Rachel continued, happy that she was finally saying something true.

Ross was feeling awkward and uncomfortable, but he didn't want Rachel to notice this, he just had the feeling that something was going on.

"Ok…well…are you two going to work together like at Ralph Lauren, or…?"

"No, no!" Rachel hastily replied, "Gavin is on the sales department honey, he just came to say hello. And guess what? He asked me if we want to go to dinner with him and his girlfriend, Laura, is it, Gavin?"

Rachel's eyes were almost popping out of her head.

"Yeah, yeah!" Gavin confirmed, "It would be nice, you know, to meet little Emma."

Ross tried to decipher Rachel's reaction to this whole situation. She was still holding her flowers and trying to avoid his gaze, Ross was sure that there was something she didn't want to tell him, maybe something that had to do with her weird behavior of the last days.

"Fine, just tell me where and when!" Ross concluded, smiling to Gavin.

The man exhaled and glanced at Rachel, who tried to thank him with a silent look.

"Rach, I have a reservation at Sorrentino's, we should go if we don't want to be late."

"Honey, you know how much I love it!" she smiled and kissed him tenderly. Ross felt all his former fears dissolving.

"Only the best for you on your birthday."

"That's the best surprise a woman could ask for. Let me get my cardigan."

"Rachel, it was a pleasure to see you again, let me know about that dinner!" he waved his hand.

"Of course Gavin!"

"Bye, Ross."

Ross was almost shaking his hands with him, when Lillian peeked out from behind the door.

"Oh, hi Ross!"

"Hi, Lillian!" he hugged her, he hadn't seen her since Easter.

"Oh, I see you met Gavin! He's our last achievement. I brought him in to meet Rachel on Monday, he was glad to find out that there was a former colleague from Ralph Lauren."

Rachel and Gavin shared a horrified look and Ross's face turned blank.

"Excuse-me, Lillian, when did you say Gavin came here, again?"

"On Monday! I wasn't sure if they actually knew each other, but as soon as they met it was pretty clear that they had already worked together. And this makes everything easier, because they have already experienced the other's faults and qualities, which really helps on the job."

Lillian was ecstatic, so she didn't immediately notice the tension in the room.

"Ross…" Rachel almost stammered.

"I've got to get out of here!" Ross shouted.

Rachel put her flowers on the desk and followed Ross outside her office.

"Did I say something wrong?" Lillian asked Gavin.

The man just stared at her, "No, no. Have you already bought a present for their wedding?"

Lillian looked at him curiously, "Yes…"

"Just hope that it's reimbursable."

* * *

Ross kept walking without looking back. He couldn't believe how stupid he had been to even think that Rachel had changed, that she really had forgotten about the past, that she had forgiven him for everything. Today it was clear how wrong he had been to hope for a healthy future for their relationship.

Rachel was running after him, screaming his name, "Ross! Ross please stop!"

He didn't turn and kept walking towards the elevator. When he reached it, he pressed the button to call it.

"Ross! Would you please look at me? We've got to talk about this, let me explain!"

Ross turned around suddenly and blurted out, "No!"

"No? What the hell does it mean, no? What are we, two teenagers?" Rachel shouted.

The elevator acoustic sound signaled that it had come to their floor. Ross entered and Rachel followed him, Ross pressed the button to the ground floor.

"Well, it's what you said to me after I made that list of pros and cons, didn't you? I asked you to give me another chance, and you answered, "NO". Just call it payback!"

Rachel was hurt to hear him using that episode to get back at her, but at that moment Ross had all the reasons to be upset.

"Ross, please, it doesn't mean anything. You see? This is why I didn't tell you about him, I didn't want you to get jealous and immature again, I would have told you later!"

"Later? When? You mean after the wedding, don't you?"

Rachel tried to feign some sorrow, "Well…" she widened her arms.

Ross glared at her, "Let me get this straight, you think that I'm angry at you because I am jealous of Gavin?"

Rachel was speechless, "Well…aren't you?"

Ross scoffed, "To think I thought we were over this, now I see I completely overestimated you, Rachel. You call me immature, and yet you are the one irresponsible in this relationship!"

"I knew that if I had told you that Lillian had hired Gavin, you would have flipped out!"

"So, this is the consideration you have of your future husband? You don't even trust me enough to tell me that you work with a man?"

"This is not ANY man! This was the man who almost caused us to be apart forever!"

"Exactly! And a few months ago we had promised that we wouldn't hide anything from each other EVER again, Rach! I'm tired of needing to demonstrate how much trustworthy I am, you still think of me as the childish guy who would get crazy for the little things, like this! You want to know why I'm so mad, Rachel?"

"Why?" she screamed, crying.

"Because after a whole year that we've been back together, you still don't trust me."

Rachel stared at him, incapable of saying anything.

The elevator sound rang again and the doors opened, revealing the ground floor.

"Well, this silence is enough as an answer."

Ross walked past his wife-to-be, just wanting to get out of that building and far from her.

Rachel waited a couple of seconds, then she followed him.

"Ross…wait…wait!" she ran after him and stopped him, pulling him towards her. "It's not…it's not true, Ross. I trust you. It's just that…It's Gavin…I was scared of your reaction…"

Ross was hurt and disappointed, "You've known about this for three days and you didn't tell me, Rach. You behaved weirdly at home and I thought that it could be my fault, that maybe it had something to do with me…"

Rachel was now crying intensely.

"And then you two made me believe that you had met just today, why?"

"I don't know; it was Gavin's idea…I just followed his lead…it seemed a good plan, I didn't want you to suffer and get angry at me for not telling you…Honey, please, I'm sorry…"

Ross lifted his hand to shut her up, "Enough with the excuses, Rach." Ross shook his head. "I need some time to think."

Rachel's eyes got wide, "What do you mean?"

Ross started walking away from her.

"Ross…please, I was stupid, I know, but don't punish me or Emma for such a silly thing. Believe me, this won't happen again! I misjudged you, it was all my fault!"

Ross was starting to cry, too. He stopped on his track and put his hands on Rachel's arms and looked straight into her eyes. "I love you, Rach. I've always loved you, more that anyone before and after you. More than I've ever loved Carol, and she is the only other woman I've ever truly loved, you know that. I married Emily, but what I felt for her was never love, it was just a deep affection that I thought could help me to get over you. And yet, I was ready to marry her, because at that time I thought she would trust me."

Rachel sobbed, Ross's hands were now on her face, "This wedding is never going to work if you don't have faith in me, in us, Rach. You know how much I've changed, and I am tired of trying to prove it to you."

Rachel squeezed her eyes and a few more tears came out and ran down her face. People were walking around them, someone stared at the weird scene taking place in front of them, but nor Ross neither Rachel were interested in their reactions.

"You have to clear your mind. Once and for all, decide if I am worthy of your total forgiveness, or not. If you can trust me unconditionally, for good. Just think about it, Rach."

"Ross…I can't…live without you." she sobbed between the tears.

Ross nodded, "It's only up to you, Rach." He walked away from her and Rachel felt at once the cold from his absence.

"I'll take Emma to Monica and Chandler's tonight." He concluded.

"Wait…What about the wedding?" she asked, worried.

"I guess this is going to be a new possibility for jokes for my brother-in-law: I've never had a wedding on stand-by, until now."

Rachel tried to muster a smile, feeling that she was actually dying inside.

* * *

I hope to keep this updated as soon as possible.I'm already working on the following chapter and already have ideas for the following one too.


	11. Where or When

_This chapter contains references to my real life. Don't blame me for include them here. Enjoy!You will also find links to youtube videos in the text if you want to listen to the songs while I quote them._

* * *

When Ross knocked at Monica and Chandler's door that evening, it didn't take his sister more than five seconds to realize that something really terrible might have happened.

She knew her brother more than anyone and she had become pretty good in understanding his body language and his expressions.

Emma, oblivious to his father inner turmoil, was smiling in his arms, "Aunt Monica!" she screamed, jumping from Ross's arms into the ones of her Aunt.

Monica was surprised to see them; she hadn't obviously been expecting for a visit from her brother. But she didn't question his motives.

"Is Chandler home?" he asked.

"Not yet. He'll be soon though, he had a late conference at work."

"The kids?" he asked.

"At mom's, you know Thursday it's grandparents' day." Monica smiled.

Ross nodded, and Emma stated, "Auntie, wanna play with the kitchen!"

"Of course, Honey."

Monica placed Emma on the floor and the little girl ran towards the living room, where Chandler and Monica had equipped a little corner for the kids to play. Monica had bought a wonderful pink kitchenette for her daughter, but since Erica was still so young, Emma used to play with it more than her cousin.

The two siblings followed the girl and watched her playing for a couple of minutes, then Monica looked at her brother, "Do I dare to ask?"

Ross shrugged, "Uhm…I think that I might have just called off my wedding."

Monica almost fell from the shock. "Oh my God."

"Yeah."

"Well…this is the first time in my life that I'm not happy after winning 50 bucks from a bet with Chandler."

Ross glared at his sister, but he couldn't retort with anything.

Monica sighed, "Just tell me what happened…"

* * *

The _Smalls Jazz Club_ was in the West Village, not far from Ross and Rachel's building. The gang used to go there often when Monica and Chandler still lived in Apartment 20 and Joey hadn't moved to Los Angeles. Ross and Rachel still went there from time to time because they enjoyed spending the evening with good food, cocktails and most of all with very good live music.

When Chandler had arrived home, Ross had asked him to get out and Monica had gently agreed to let her husband go, feeling that her brother needed a good talk with his best friend. Chandler had driven to town with his own car, not knowing if Ross would be in the condition to take him back home after spending the night in a bar.

The club was full of people, so Chandler and Ross were sitting at the counter, both drinking a beer. Ross was looking terrible, almost as much as he did the night of the infamous break.

On the stage, a group of six people was playing tunes from the fifties and Chandler was enjoying the show very much. The band was called _The Tozzi Sisters and the Favorites_ and just when Chandler was wondering if the name meant that the three beautiful girls singing in trio were real siblings, one of the singers informed the audience that not only the three of them were sisters, but also that the guitarist (who sang the male parts too) was their brother and the drummer was her husband.

This revelation didn't catch the people in the club by surprise because not only the four of them were really good singers, but it was pretty evident that they were also a real family.

What they had perceived during the performance was a true feeling; The informal behavior on the stage, the sensation that the singers cared about each other very much, the laughter when they ended a song, the way the girls looked at each other while they sang, how the brother had looked for one of his sister during a guitar solo to dance with her.

The audience started to applaud loudly, and so did Chandler. Ross grinned as soon as he heard the first notes of the following song, presented by the guitarist as _Where or When **[watch?v=MfTZRpCUXc0]**_ by _Dion_ _Di_ _Mucci_ , one of the greatest artists of the 50s.

 _It seems we stood and talked like this before_

 _We looked at each other in the same way then_

 _But I can't remember where or when_

 _The clothes you're wearing are the clothes you wore_

 _The smile you are smiling you were smiling then_

 _But I can't remember where or when_

Chandler had been captivated by the four singers for a minute, then he looked at Ross, who was still smiling.

"What?" he asked him.

"I really like these guys. I came here with Rachel a week after Emma's birthday, we heard them play and we were so impressed that we couldn't get away until the end of the concert."

"They're actually good. Can't believe nature is so good with some people, four siblings all so talented and artsy. Then there's me, an only son who wasn't accepted on the Figure Skating Team."

Ross chuckled, "Rachel loved the girls so much that she asked them to play at our wedding."

"Wow, other six tickets to Hawaii, do you grow money on a tree?"

Ross smiled, "She was so happy that night, it was just worth it…And hey, Dr. Green said that he was going to pay for the flight tickets anyway, so who cares?"

 _Some things that happen for the first time_

 _Seem to be happening again_

One of the sisters was playing a lovely saxophone melody while the brother sang a solo bridge and the other two girls accompanied him with soft "ohs" and "ahs". Chandler looked at Ross, knowing that the lyrics of the song were probably very meaningful to him at that moment.

Then the siblings began to sing in four again.

 _And so it seems that we have met before_

 _And laughed before_

 _And loved before_

 _But who knows where or when_

As the song ended with a high note of the brother and the people applauded vigorously, Ross was almost losing himself in the memories, thinking about all the best moments of his relationship with Rachel.

"Chandler, what's the matter with me? Is it something so damn wrong that made me divorce three times? And why now that the last piece of the puzzle is finally back to its place I have to start it again?"

Chandler shook his head, "Maybe you'll find me too compliant, but this time I think you weren't wrong. You did the right thing by letting Rachel on hold."

"Then why do I feel so bad?"

"Because you love her, genius. You've been in love with her for twenty years, remember what Phoebe used to say, that she's your lobster?"

"That was a long time ago…" Ross shook his head and sipped some of his beer, remembering the wonderful day when this story had actually started.

"I can't even imagine what it means to pass through something like that, with a huge twisted relationship like yours. I mean, you're ROSS AND RACHEL. Between Monica and me everything has always been easy and simple, since the first day in London. If you don't count that little bump on the road when Richard showed up to ruin my proposal…Wait, is the _Old Tree_ coming to your wedding?"

Ross chuckled, "No, Rachel and I thought better than to create troubles for our best man and maid of honor."

"Well played, thanks." Chandler patted him on the back. "Anyway, you and Rachel are the strongest couple I've ever known, you made it, despite everything and everyone, and you got back together because you love each other, and that connection is so strong!"

Ross nodded, "I thought so too, Chan. But now…I don't know, why can't she just trust me?"

"Oh come on, Ross, try to put yourself in Rachel's shoes."

"I don't think I could walk in a three-inch stiletto heels."

Chandler just ignored him, "Ross, last year when you got back together you were the one who changed the direction of your lives. YOU ran after her to the airport, YOU told her that you still loved her, YOU realized that you couldn't live without her, YOU asked her to make a choice. And Rachel made that choice, she left Paris behind to stay here with you and Emma, so you can't doubt how much she loves you, otherwise she would have left on that damned plane and she would be with some cool trendy French guy named Francois or Luc or Benoit, making sex with him right now!"

Ross stared at him in disbelief, "I hope you're getting somewhere with this."

"All I'm trying to say, is that you were much readier for a commitment than maybe she was. And you had a proof these last months. Didn't you tell me that you've been talking sincerely and openly, like never before? That you confessed each other things you'd never had the guts to tell back then? And wasn't she the one who flipped out before Christmas?"

Ross nodded, "I still can't believe how immature she was when Julie was here, she was so…"

Ross tried to concentrate on his anger towards his fiancée, but all he could think at that moment was the lovely way she had admitted that she was jealous after the party when they were sleeping at Chandler and Monica's. God, he missed her.

"Exactly, you were surprised by the fact that she was jealous of her."

"Yeah, but we talked about it, I thought we were over it! I asked her to be always sincere, to tell me when something bothers her, I told her I didn't want to let little things spoil our relationship because THIS is what happens if we don't tell each other the truth!"

"Well, it seems to me that Rachel isn't quite there yet, Ross."

The band started to play a new song, this one was a very famous hit that both Ross and Chandler knew pretty well, _Mr. Sandman_ **_[watch?v=CX45pYvxDiA]_** by _The_ _Chordettes_.

Smiling at the way the three girls were introducing the song with a typical doo-wop standard "Bung-Bung", Ross noticed that Chandler was looking at them too.

They got lost in the music for an entire verse.

 _Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream (bung, bung, bung, bung)_

 _Make him the cutest that I've ever seen (bung, bung, bung, bung)_

 _Give him two lips like roses and clover (bung, bung, bung, bung)_

 _Then tell him that his lonesome nights are over_

 _Sandman, I'm so alone (bung, bung, bung, bung)_

 _Don't have nobody to call my own (bung, bung, bung, bung)_

 _Please turn on your magic beam_

 _Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream_

"What do I got to do, Chandler? Please, tell me."

Chandler, who was sipping some of his beer, put the bottle on the counter.

"You have to realize that in this moment Rachel is in the same place that you were in when you broke up eight years ago."

"What do you mean?"

"Remember when you were insanely jealous of Mark, and you didn't trust her? When you sent her a musical bug and a barbershop quartet to her office? You were afraid that you weren't enough for her, that she could slip away from you. If I know Rachel, and after eleven years I think I do, I'm starting to think that she's feeling that way now. Plus, she's afraid of that kind of commitment because you have really changed but she's too afraid to trust you."

"So you think that I became the stronger one in the couple? I am not the geek weirdo anymore and she is the helpless scared girl I've got to save?" Ross smiled.

"Hang on, _Indiana Jones_. This is not one of your fantasies, it's real life. I'm just saying that you have grown, and at 38 years old we can only be thankful for that. You said that you weren't jealous of Gavin, that you got mad only because she didn't tell you that he was working with her, then it really means that you had suddenly – and miraculously, become the leader of your relationship. Ironically, Rachel is afraid that you can regress to being a jackass and starting _pulling-a-Ross_ all over again."

Ross interrupted him, "But I wasn't jealous of Gavin, that's why I'm so angry, why can't she believe in me?"

Chandler wasn't so sure about it, "Are you sure you trust her, completely?"

Ross looked at him for a couple of seconds. He thought about Rachel and the first memory that came to his mind was the way she had reacted when they were dating back in the nineties and he was trying to convince her that Mark couldn't be nice to her only because he wanted to help her.

* * *

" _So, he's just a nice guy. You really think this Mark doesn't want anything in exchange for helping him?" he had told her._

" _Well, I assume I'll have to take showers with him, but y'know, that's true of any job."_

* * *

If he thought about it now, he realized how much pathetic he should have seemed.

Rachel's sarcastic answer was just all he needed to know also back then. She would never betray him, she was so in love with him, how could he possibly think that she could hurt him in any way? If he thought about all the years they have lost not being together because of his own stupidity.

"Yes. I trust her, with all my heart."

"And you're not afraid that she can leave you?"

Ross shook his head. "She gave up Paris for me, Chandler. You were right. I have no doubt we'll last forever."

Chandler finally smiled, "See? If you can say that out loud, you really are the strong one, and she needs you. You've got to help her. Don't get me wrong, you made the right thing to give her an ultimatum, I guess she kind of deserved it this time, she screwed-it-up badly in her _Rachel-Land_." Ross nodded, agreeing with him. "But now she needs you to understand her mistake."

"So, what do I do?"

"Well, I am not so great at advice." Chandler reminded him, "And tonight I think I spent my whole supply of good suggestions for the whole 2005."

He got a chuckle from Ross, who knew that his brother-in-law was much more great in giving advice than anyone he knew.

At that moment, one of the girls on the stage, the one who seemed younger, intervened to introduce another song with a marked Italian accent, "This one is dedicated to all the lovers, and we invite you all to dance with your beloved."

Ross looked at Chandler grinning, but he stared back at him ironically, "What? Don't look at me, I'm not that drunk, yet!"

The three men started to play a soft ballad and a few seconds later the girls sang another very famous song by the _McGuire Sisters **[watch?v=txN5riTnDPU]**_.

 _Sincerely_

 _Oh yes, sincerely_

 _'Cause I love you so dearly_

 _Please say you'll be mine_

 _Sincerely_

 _Oh, you know how I love you_

 _I'll do anything for you_

 _Please say you'll be mine_

 _Oh Lord, won't you tell me why_

 _I love that fella so_

 _He doesn't want me_

 _But I'll never, never, never, never let him go_

 _Sincerely_

 _Oh, you know how I love you_

 _I'll do anything for you_

 _Please say you'll be mine_

Ross remembered that when he and Rachel had come to see the live show, they had danced together during this song.

Rachel had looked at him and she had said that she was looking forward to buy the new house to start their new life together with Emma and she really wanted to live next to Monica and Chandler again because she missed being close to her best friends.

And yet, with the frenzy of the arrangement for wedding, Rachel's job, Ross's lectures and Emma starting the nursery-school, they hadn't had time to look for a house, yet.

"Chandler…I think I know what I have to do. Do you still have the number of your realtor?"

"Nancy? Sure, why?"

"You think she's going to answer to a late night phone call?"

 _Oh Lord, won't you tell me why_

 _I love that fella so_

 _He doesn't want me_

 _But I'll never, never, never, never let him go_

 _Sincerely_

 _Oh, you know how I love you_

 _I'll do anything for you_

 _Please say you'll be mine_

 _Please say you'll be mine_

* * *

NOTE OF THE AUTHOR

 _The Tozzi Sisters and the Favorites_ really exists, it's my band.

We are a tribute band and we sing covers of the fifties. We love _Dion Di Mucci_ , _The McGuire Sisters_ and _The Chordettes_. We really are three sisters and a brother and we really have a drummer who's also my sister's husband. It's all in the family and it's just a lovely way to spend some quality time together. _ **[watch?v=dkaXIAeGTHU]**_ I love my family more than anything in the world, and we all grew up watching _Friends_ together, so I want to dedicate this chapter to my sisters (Lidia and Debora) and brother (Samuele). We also have another sister (Rebecca) who doesn't sing with us, but she comes watching us all to our shows. Luv Ya.

 **Songs:**

 **Where or When - Dion The Belmonts**

 **Mr. Sandman - The Chordettes**

 **Sincerely - McGuire Sisters**


	12. Tidal Wave

"Oh Monica, this is so messed up!"

"Honey, I think I've lost count of how many times you've said that about you and Ross."

Rachel was sitting on her couch, she was wearing her favorite tracksuit pants and one of Ross's shirts. She was holding her knees to her stomach with one hand and she had the telephone in the other. Her eyes were closed and wet; she had cried a million tears since she'd come back in her empty apartment. Lillian had been very understanding when Rachel had explained that she had argued with Ross and she needed to get home for the rest of the afternoon and maybe the following day.

"How did he look like? Was he crying?"

"No."

"Was he very upset?"

"Mmm…"

"On a Ross's scale of anger how much upset was he?"

Monica laughed to herself, "Probably a little more than the _we-were-on-a-break_ level after Montauk and a little less than _not getting a goodbye_ from you before leaving for Paris."

Rachel moaned, "That's pretty bad."

Monica nodded, "Honey, I'm not gonna lie to you. I love you, you're like a sister to me. I've always respected you and I've always admired you for how thoughtful you were when you were capable to forgive all the mistakes my stupid brother has done. But this time…I must admit he's not the one to blame. You've been childish and inconsiderate."

"I know, but…"

"I mean, what's with you and this Gavin? Whenever this guy comes up you try and spoil your relationship with Ross, do you actually have feelings for him?"

Rachel was shocked, "Monica, no! I don't care about him! He could be Johnny Depp and still it wouldn't bother me! When is it going to enter in that minds of yours? The only man I've only ever been interested in is your brother!"

Monica was speechless. She'd never heard Rachel being so protective over her feelings for Ross.

"Ugh…it's not my fault, it's just as simple as that. I have never loved anybody else in my entire life! Since I've left Barry at the altar, I've been looking for someone to love and then, when I found out I was in love with Ross…it was it, Monica. There was never place for anybody else."

Monica was touched by that revelation. She knew how deep her friend's feelings for her brother were, but listening to her spilling her guts so wholeheartedly was something new, even to her.

"Sure, there were others, but…they were always rebounds, flings. I've never had a serious relationship after Ross, I've always lived in the constant waiting of something for us to…happen again, because my mind and soul were always set on him. I don't know if you can understand this…"

"I can, sweetie. And believe me, I don't think that for Ross things were ever much different. And this is why this is a difficult moment for him. You are going to get married, this should be a wonderful time, and yet he finds out you didn't trust him again, like you did with the whole Julie accident –"

"It's not the same!"

"It's exactly the same, Rachel! Ross is trying to compromise, he's agreeing on every little need that you have and he's really changed since you've got back together. He's been trying to show you in any possible way. So, whose fault is it if you're having troubles now?"

Rachel sighed, "Ok…it's mine, you're right, I know. And I'm sorry about it. But I think I'm entitled to have doubts and fears, since I am the one who gave up the chance of a lifetime to get back together with him!"

"Honey, maybe you've got the right to have some doubts, but you don't have the right to be selfish and bitchy about it. After the engagement you promised Ross that you would never use the breakup story as a weapon to hurt him anymore."

Rachel stood up from the couch, passionate about the heated discussion she was having with her best friend, "But that is not the problem we fought about this time! I am not afraid that he can cheat on me, I've forgiven him for that, God it's been almost ten years! What I'm scared about it's his behavior. I don't want him to become the immature Ross who thought that could possess me and decide whether or not I could work with a man, share an office with him, tell me what I could do or not do or hide messages from me!"

Monica waited a couple of seconds to reply, "Well...it seems to me that today the only one immature turned out to be you."

Rachel thought about the conversation with Ross on the elevator. She remembered his expression when he'd told her, _Well, this silence is enough as an answer._

"God, you're right Mon. I made such a mistake, what was I, crazy? And now I don't know what to do! Please Mon, I need your help…"

"Well…I think you should really give him some space if that's what he wants. I'm pretty sure everything will be fine, Ross can't stay angry at you for a very long time, we all know that."

"Apparently he took the whole break thing pretty well, we eventually got over it after eight years, you know…" Rachel scoffed.

"Rachel…" Monica interrupted her, "Just do what he asked you to. Think about what he said and try to understand if you're really ready to trust him completely and forget about your stupid fears. You can't make a wedding work if you don't have trust. Don't you think I was afraid when Chandler was working in Tulsa? Of course, I had this little voice inside my mind that kept screaming incoherent words, and I was a little bit scared of the fact that something could happened seeing that he was so far…"

"And how could you live with that?" Rachel wondered.

"I've never doubted him. Not even once. Not even that Christmas when we found out that he was there with his coworker, Wendy, that slut."

Rachel laughed, feeling better for a couple of seconds.

"Well, I've always had faith in him. And that's what you should do, if you really loved my brother as you say."

Rachel made a half a smile, "Yeah…but Chandler never cheated on you, Mon. And that's a huge difference."

Rachel walked towards the window. The Apartment 20 had been vacant for a few months, but now a couple in their fifties had rent the place. Sometimes Rachel spied on them to see if they had friends coming to visit and she always found herself remembering the wonderful ten years she had spent in that place with the people that had also become her family.

The couple was sitting on the couch watching a movie, and the lights were off. Rachel remembered the pain she had felt the morning after she had discovered Ross's betrayal all those years back. It was true, she had totally forgiven him. But as Ross had said the night of their engagement, it was fair if she still had moments when she felt bad about it.

"Ok…well Rach, I'm going to tell you something, now, and I don't know if you're going to like it. Ross cheated on you that night, and that's a fact. Something that he finally agrees he did, too. But it was a huge mistake, he didn't do it on purpose. He's not a real _cheater_ , that was a horrible stupid thing he did during the worst moment of crisis of your relationship. And maybe, if he hadn't done it, you would have split up anyway. We would never know."

"I didn't want to break up with him, Mon…"

"That's what you're saying now. But maybe it was how things were supposed to go, and you know that's true. You weren't ready for the commitment that your relationship needed at that moment. Ross was getting too needy, but you were becoming your own person. When you broke up you two grew up separately and you realized that you still loved each other and you couldn't live apart. You've always had this bond between you two, like when you got together and conceived Emma. And that's why I don't like calling Ross's mistake a cheat."

Rachel was surprised, "How long has this been your way of thinking?"

"It always has, honey. But today I feel I can finally tell you, because for the very first time I have the feeling that you're there, too."

Rachel sighed, pondering Monica's wise words.

"Honey, please. The past is in the past. Marry my brother and forget about all the stupid problems. Today it was Gavin, tomorrow it could be someone else. But you and Ross must be stronger than anything else. You were talking about having another baby, about moving…you can't do these things if you are not sure that your wedding will last forever and you won't fight anymore."

"Ok, Mon. Thank you." Rachel had a sudden thought when Monica mentioned the word baby "How's Emma?"

"She's sleeping. I let the twins at my mother's, she was so happy to spend some time alone with me. We made cookies." Monica laughed.

"You know, I was so excited to find a house next to you, guys. Now I'm wondering if that's ever going to happen."

Monica sighed slowly, "I'm sure it will, Rachel. Just listen to your heart. It's going to give you all the answers you need."

Rachel closed the connection and put the telephone on the side table next to the couch. She laid down and started to cry again, hoping that she would find a way to clear her mind once and for all.

* * *

By now it was almost midnight. Rachel was trying again to call Ross, but whenever she'd called him that night, he hadn't answered. She'd always found his cellphone turned off, and once she'd also found it busy. Wasn't he supposed to be with Chandler? Who was he talking to, then?

Maybe she was reading too much into it, maybe he was just talking to Joey, or maybe he had just called Monica to know if Emma was fine.

When Ross didn't answer for the fifth time, Rachel threw the mobile on the floor and it just broke. She looked at it, thinking that it was the symbol of their perpetual problematic relationship. Always in precarious balance, always waiting for something terrible to happen to cause trouble. A new job, a Chloe, a Bonnie, an Emily, a wedding in Vegas, a Jill, a Mona, a guy from a bar, a Gavin, even a Joey.

Rachel was pacing in her living room, decided to figure out what was really bothering her.

Monica was right, the past was in the past. The last year with Ross had been just wonderful. He had been an amazing partner, a lovely and devoted father and a caring friend.

Yes, because that's what she'd been truly afraid of missing the most when she'd gone back to his apartment the night before leaving for Paris: her friend. Ross wasn't only the man that she loved, but also a friend, someone that really knew her.

Joey's departure for Los Angeles had really left her bereft, she'd missed her best friend, her partner in crime, and Ross had realized that. With Chandler far from the city, too, Rachel needed not only an amazing boyfriend, but also someone she could tell her secrets and stories, someone she could watch romantic movies and soap operas with.

Yes, since Rachel had gotten off that damned plane, Ross had been just perfect and lovely and he had given her that. He had even agreed to record his favorite documentaries on _Discovery Channel_ only to comply and watch some futile gossip program with her on _E!_ from time to time. If that wasn't a perfect relationship, what was it, Rachel thought.

* * *

" _We are - we're done being stupid."_

" _Okay. You and me, alright? This is it."_

" _This is it."_

* * *

The words they had spoken that night echoed in Rachel's mind as a reminder of their promise to each other. And she finally had an epiphany.

She had been the immature one. And she needed to take full responsibility for that.

"Full…responsibility…" she murmured.

Rachel ran to their bedroom, looking madly for that stupid letter. She knew that Ross kept it in his closet because when she'd come back living to the apartment, they had showed each other their respective _boxes_. Rachel still kept all the mementos of their relationship in her _Ross's box_ , and he knew it, but she'd been flattered to find out that Ross had a _Rachel's box_ too.

 _Here it is_.

She found the letter. The damned 18-pages-front-and-back-letter that she'd written to him all those years ago. She sat on the bed. She knew that if she wanted to understand something about herself, that night, she had to read it again for the first time in her life.

After reading a couple of pages, she realized how sappy that sounded. The _current_ Rachel would never write something like that. She was starting to realize why Ross had felt bad in reading it. There were all those insinuations about his infidelity, his insecurities and his incapability of having a relationship, where did they come from? Before the whole Mark situation, Ross had been a wonderful boyfriend, and Rachel was asking him to get back together by underlining every little fault he had?

Rachel kept on reading: there was no single word of regret in her sentences. She didn't mention having something to do with the troubles in their relationship. She never mentioned the fact that she kept staying at work even when it was not necessary, or that she had missed Ben's birthday because she'd gone to a Bloomingdale's party with Mark and Sophie only to make Joanna happy. That letter was all about Ross's infidelity and the fact that if he wanted to get back together with her, he needed to accept the full responsibility of what had happened.

What the hell had she been thinking that night? Was she so selfish not to realize that a relationship is made by two people?

* * *

 _And for the record, it took two people to break up this relationship!_

 _Yeah! You and that girl from that copy place, which yesterday you took full responsibility for!_

* * *

Ross had tried to tell her that night, after their final break up, but she didn't want to listen back then. Now she was starting to understand what he meant.

Maybe, if she hadn't written that damned letter, they would have been together since then. No Emily at all, no Joshuas and Tags, no weird feelings for Joey, and especially no divorce.

Page after page, Rachel kept reading, until, overwhelmed by the events of the day and tired by all the tears and the thinking, she fell asleep.

* * *

Rachel opened her eyes.

There was a weird silence, around her. But there wasn't only silence, there was also the sound of the waves that enveloped her like a sweet lullaby.

She was wearing a dark orange bikini and her short hair was moved by a light breeze. The sun was beaming and hot.

In front of her, she could only see the ocean. The light blue Hawaiian sea, with its waves moving on and off her feet.

Rachel smiled, she was feeling so satisfied and happy.

She entered into the sea and she started to swim, wanting to feel the sensation of the water on her skin.

But when she took some distance from the shore, suddenly she realized that she couldn't see it no more. She was alone in what had become a deep blue see.

She turned in every direction and all at once three little small islands appeared not far from her. But she didn't know which one was the island she was supposed to reach.

She was scared, she didn't know what to do. She liked the sea, but she was lost, she'd never felt so frightened and alone in her whole life. She knew she had to pick one of the islands, because soon she would be too tired to keep swimming. But choosing was too difficult, they all looked beautiful and attractive.

She swam towards the islands and finally she noticed that in the middle one, there was someone standing next to the palm trees, waiting for her.

In the end, it was the idea of being with someone else that made her decide. She swam as quick as she could towards the middle island.

Rachel dragged herself out of the water and she stood up, noticing that the man was turned around, she could only see his back. His hair was gray, he was wearing a white shirt and a pair of brown linen trousers.

He was barefoot and he was looking at the sky, his arms crossed on his chest.

Rachel couldn't see his face yet, but she knew she was attracted to him.

"Hey?" she patted him on the shoulder.

The man turned around and Rachel eventually recognized him.

The man was Ross.

But he wasn't as young as he was now. He was older, probably in his sixties.

And yet, his smile was the same as always. The magnetic, cute, childish smile she'd fallen in love with. With those small dimples that appeared in his cheeks when his lips began to curve to smile.

"I've been waiting for you." he said.

He took her hands in his, and Rachel smiled.

When she looked at their hands, joined together, she noticed that they were both wearing wedding bands. Rachel took the ring from her finger and she read the inscription.

 _ **Trust ∞**_

The older version of Ross stared at her and smiled again, stroking her cheeks.

"You were worth the wait, Rachel." He told her.

Rachel closed her eyes and squeezed the ring in her hands, feeling the tears streaming down her face.

"Rachel." She heard his voice calling her, soothing, almost whispering.

She opened her eyes and saw once again the old Ross smiling at her.

"Rachel."

Rachel opened her eyes and found herself on her bed, she touched the blanket almost expecting to find the ring that she was holding in her dream a few seconds before.

It had seemed so real.

Ross was sitting next to her, his hand was caressing delicately her shoulder. Rachel jumped from her position. So it was _his_ voice that she had just heard in the dream.

She looked at him, noticing that this was her actual boyfriend, without gray hair and wrinkles. She didn't search for permission when she hugged him tightly.

"Ross! Please, don't leave me anymore!" she blurted out, without even thinking coherently.

Ross squeezed his eyes and held her close to him, "I am here, Rach."

"Honey, I was stupid, I love you!" she took his face in her hands, "You were right, I had to trust you, I had to tell you about Gavin as soon as I found out, but you have to believe me, I trust you, totally. I am SO ready to marry you!"

Ross smiled, "Really?"

"Yes, I want to grow old with you and have other babies with you…you are the mate that life has chosen for me. Please, tell me that everything's going to be fine…"

Ross shook his head and held her again, speaking in her ear, "I am so sorry, Rach, I was an idiot. I shouldn't have left like that; it was just an impulsive reaction; this was all my fault!"

"Well, now you're being terribly sympathetic about that!" Rachel laughed.

Ross chuckled, "No, I'm serious, I was just worried because I thought you were sure you couldn't trust me and I was afraid that…"

Rachel stopped him, "That's nonsense. You were right to ask me to think about it. I actually did, sweetie. You have my total trust, and my total forgiveness, for everything. The past is in the past; what matters is who we are now. And I must say, I ain't no saint…"

"What do you mean?"

Rachel showed him the pieces of paper she was reading, "Remind you of anything?"

"What were you doing with _that_?" Ross wondered.

"I was reading all the things I wrote to you. And…I fell asleep."

"ON YOUR LETTER?!" Ross shouted, mimicking her past reaction.

They both started to laugh, then kissed for the first time that night. Ross was so relieved that they had made it through that.

"Honey, now I know how you felt after reading this. I mean, that was crazy! Eighteen pages!"

"Front and back!" Ross agreed.

"Yeah! You were so right, it was both our fault, Ross. I turned you into that…monster of jealousy. Our relationship wasn't healthy enough back then, we had to grew as single individuals. You had the terrible scar of your first divorce and you weren't ready to trust me completely, and I was too devoted to my job to understand that you needed a more caring girlfriend."

Ross nodded and sighed, happy that Rachel had realized something that he'd been thinking about for years. "I know, Rach. Look at us now. We can be unique persons and a perfect couple at the same time."

"Yeah…and really, I promise, I'll tell you everything from now on, Ross. No more secrets."

"And I swear, I am not jealous of Gavin."

"Well, he wasn't lying about the dinner with his girlfriend, anyway. He's kind of sweet, he really wanted to help me getting things straight with you. Even three years ago, before we had that fight, he was the one who told me that we should have talked and sort things out between us."

Ross thought about it, "Mmm…Charlie too had understood that between us there was something and that we needed to get back together. It's like if everybody realized how much we are meant for each other even before us. Are we nuts?"

"Totally!" Rachel kissed him again, grinning for how much happy she felt. "Ross…Is the wedding still on?"

"Oh, Rach…" he gave her another peck, "Of course. It was never off. It was only on standby."

Rachel laughed, "Good."

Ross looked straight into her eyes, "Honey, what helped you change your mind?"

Rachel thought about her dream. It was something private, but she felt that Ross needed to know this. So she told him everything, about the ocean, about the fear of getting lost, and about the feeling of safety she'd felt when she'd found him on the island and realized that they'd been already married for years.

"Rach, I think this is the sweetest thing I've ever heard…"

"What do you think it meant?" she asked him.

Ross smiled, "That you were looking for a constant in your life, and you found it."

Rachel nodded, agreeing.

"Or maybe that we really need to get married if you don't want me to get that old before you become Mrs. Geller!"

Rachel grinned, "Now you're going to think that I am afraid of the wedding."

"Not at all." Ross reassured her, stroking her hair. "Though, I was thinking that we should put that inscription on our rings."

Rachel chuckled, "What, _Trust_ and the infinite symbol? Really?"

Ross nodded. Rachel thought about it. It was so different from the normal cliché of putting the initials or each other names on the rings.

"Monica is going to kill us for not respecting the tradition."

"I don't care. It's our wedding. And we are entitled to do whatever makes us happy."

Rachel smiled, agreeing with Ross, "Ok, then."

"Fine. And now, tell me. How much tired are you?"

Rachel smiled, "Well, all the excitement will probably keep me up all night. Why, what was on your mind?" She looked at him, naughtily.

Ross chuckled, "No, it's not that, actually…I wasn't able to wish you a proper happy birthday and it's May the 6th already. So I want to apologize and…"

"Honey! You don't have to apologize, it's only my fault if we didn't spend the day together!"

"That's not true, I'm the idiot who went away and left you alone!"

"Ok, then idiot it is." Rachel replied, laughing along with her fiancé.

Ross gave her a lovely peck and caressed her hair again, "Anyway, I've got a surprise…and I can't wait to show you."

Rachel looked questioningly at him. "Ok…"

"It's your birthday gift. I know we had agreed that because of the wedding we shouldn't get presents for each other this year, but…I had this weird feeling that you were lying to test me."

"Oh, you know me so well!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands.

"The problem is…I don't have it here, with me…"

Rachel started to smile, "Oh, you hid it at Monica's, right?" Rachel wondered.

Ross smiled to himself, "Kind of. How about we go and take it now?"

"But…honey, they'll be asleep now, and so is Emma!"

Ross smiled and showed her the keys of his sister's home. He had thought about everything. Rachel, who wasn't tired at all, looked at him and grinned in response.

* * *

Ross parked the car in front of a lovely house that resembled the one of Chandler and Monica. Even if it was dark, though, Rachel noticed that it wasn't her best friends' residence.

"Honey, I know it's late, but you got the wrong way. Chandler and Monica's house is a couple of blocks from here, where are we?" Rachel asked Ross.

Ross didn't answer, he simply smiled and get off the car, closing the door behind him. Rachel stared at him curiously as he walked on the other side of the car to open her door. It was almost two o' clock and nobody was around on that hot Thursday night.

"Come with me." Ross asked Rachel, opening her door.

"But…what's going on?"

Rachel came out of the car and noticed a "FOR SALE" sign hanging on a pole driven in the ground. A weird sensation pervaded her. She finally recognized the house as a wonderful place she had visited with Monica before Emma's birthday. She had loved it so much that she'd started to think about moving to the suburbs.

"Ross, why are we here?" she wondered.

Ross took a bunch of keys from his pocket and showed it to Rachel, "This…is your birthday gift."

"What do you mean?" Rachel grinned.

"Monica told me that you came to see this house together a few weeks ago during an Open House. So, I called Chandler's realtor tonight and I made an offer."

"Oh my God!"

"She texted the former owners and they replied even if it was a little late and…they accepted."

Rachel jumped, "So we got the house!? Ross why didn't you tell me?"

Ross smiled, "I wanted to surprise you…and I wanted to _pull-a-Ross_ so badly!" he laughed.

"This is HUGE! Honey I loved this house, but how crazy are you, did you make an offer without even see it?"

Ross shook his head, "I just know that we have the same taste in decoration and interior design, and I wanted to give you everything you've ever wanted. Monica said that when you saw this house you couldn't help talking about it."

"Yes, but…"

"No buts, Rach. It's ours. We'll be able to move right after the wedding, so that we can start our new life together here after the honeymoon."

Rachel had a sudden thought, "So that's why I couldn't reach you tonight when I found your mobile busy…you were talking to Monica and then to the realtor?"

"Yes…why?"

"Well…I think I might have _accidentally_ broken my mobile phone."

Ross grinned and put his arms around her waist, "Accidentally, huh?

"Ross, this is the best gift I've ever gotten." She confessed.

"Better than a boat?" Ross wondered, thinking about the gift Dr. Green had bought for his daughter for her fifteenth birthday.

"Much better. At least, I won't have to share this with my sisters!"

"I SO hope not!" Ross smiled.

* * *

 **Note of the Author** :

 _This chapter is dedicated to my sister Lidia._

 _She told me about this dream that she had last summer. She was swimming in the sea and she was feeling fine and happy._

 _When she told me about it, I felt I could use this inspiration for a chapter in the fiction._

 _Lidia has always loved Rachel, so she became my model to help Rachel realize how much she needed to trust Ross and to build a life with him._

 _I also have to confess that this chapter contains another reference to my life: the idea of the inscription on the wedding bands is mine._

 _When I got married, we decided to put this inscription on the rings: **Trust ∞**_

 _I just love it. Because I really think that a marriage is based on trust, maybe even more than love._


	13. Truth or Dare

Hi, this chapter is going to be very long, but I also hope is going to be funny.  
It involves all six of them and it also has some references to the show "Joey".  
I thought about splitting it into 2 parts, but in the end I decided that it was a better idea to have a parallel between girls and boys.  
And since it's a bit long it might have more typos and mistakes, I'll check up on them. So forgive me, as usual. Hope you enjoy!

Oh, I must tell you that I had an idea for a different Roschel one shot, I hope I'm going to put it down in the next days, because I need to take it out of my system.  
But I won't abandon this fiction, I promise!

* * *

"Joey, this apartment is amazing!" Ross exclaimed.

"I know, and the greatest thing is the fact that I have a Jacuzzi in front of my house and the hottest neighbor right outside my backyard!"

"So, you finally got the best of both worlds!" Chandler laughed, patting Joey on his back.

Ross chuckled and looked at the three of them, together for the first time after months.

He'd been missing moments like these. He loved his life, and he loved his family more than anything. But he really missed spending time alone with the guys, just like that.

"So, what did you plan for tonight?" Ross asked his friend.

"Is that even a question? L.A. has the best strip clubs, in the country, man!" Joey replied.

Ross and Chandler exchanged a meaningful look.

"Joey, we really can't. I promised Rachel we wouldn't involve women or strippers in this bachelor party. And come on, we're too old for that anyway!"

"No, we aren't!" Joey interrupted him. "I'm not getting married and I went to a strip club yesterday night for God's sake!"

Chandler thought that his friend would never grow up. "Well, then you shouldn't feel like going tonight, wouldn't you?"

"But it's Ross's bachelor party! Come on, Ross! Rachel is at 3000 miles away; she will never know!"

"But I will, Joey! I don't want to have any secrets with her, everything's been perfect since we got back together. I'm not going to spoil it."

Chandler knew what Ross and Rachel had been through a month before, Joey had been informed by his friend during a long phone call, but seeing that he wasn't in New York, it was difficult for him to understand the dramatic situation that had almost driven Ross and Rachel to annul their wedding.

Joey walked towards the fridge and took three beers out of it, then he sighed, "So, what should we do? Spending the night at home, playing _Truth or Dare_ like a bunch of silly little girls?"

They both looked at Chandler, who walked a few steps back, "Don't stare at me like that, I already spilled the guts at this game the last time we played!"

Ross smiled, "You know, actually that seems like a very good idea, it's gonna be fun! Why don't you ask your nephew to come and play with us?"

Joey sniggered, "Fine, so the bachelorette party can finally begin!"

* * *

In the meantime, a pregnant Phoebe was holding a sleeping Erica in her arms while Monica was putting Jack in his own crib.

Ben and Emma were watching _Robin Hood_ together in Joey's room. Whenever he wasn't in town, Monica and Chandler used his bedroom as a private cinema because Joey had put a TV and a Dolby Surround system in there.

That night was supposed to be spent to celebrate Rachel's Bachelorette Party, but Carol had asked her to keep Ben because Susan was sick, so they had decided to go to Monica's. Their wild evening had turned out to be a sleepover with a Disney movie Marathon.

"So, Pheebs, did you enjoy _Aladdin_?"  
"Immensely, you know, I never watched Disney movies when I was a kid. Now I can finally be a normal mother who knows all those stupid silly songs like, _A whole new world_ , _Hakuna Matata_ …It's kind of cool!"

Monica laughed, "Well, I think you're going to love to sing those songs to your son."

"Did you and Mike pick a name, yet?" Rachel asked her.

Phoebe was still swinging with Erica in her hands, "Not yet, it's really hard to choose a name for a baby that you actually got to keep!"

Rachel laughed and sighed, thinking about the evening that they were spending at home, thinking about their children.

"Everything's ok, hon?"

"Yeah…I was just…expecting something more…transgressive, you know?"

"Well, Erica and Jack are asleep, we could ask my mother to come here and watch over Emma and Ben. I mean, we deserve it! We are young, it's your bachelorette party! It's your last night as a single woman, your last chance to do something really crazy!"

"Or…Or…You know something really transgressive?" Phoebe interrupted her. "We could stay home and play _Truth or dare_!"

Monica and Rachel shared a knowing look. Another weird idea coming from the queen of eccentricity. But with a pregnant Phoebe who wouldn't even drink, and the idea of the guys spending Ross's bachelor party at the other part of the United States, the truth was that maybe Rachel and Monica weren't really in the mood for going out. Maybe they were just missing their husband and fiancé.

"Well, this could be fun. But I want some wine!" Rachel asked Monica.

* * *

"Ok, so, I got the right to ask the first question because I'm the guest of honor tonight." Ross said, taking a handful of nachos from the bowl on the table.

"And the question is for… Joey."

"Oh, God." He sighed. Michael grinned, ready to find out something interesting about his uncle.

"You told us that you slept with Alex and that you decided to stay friends after that. Is it true that you don't feel anything for her?"

Michael watched intently at his uncle, he really wanted to know what he would answer. He was sure that something was going on between Joey and Alex, but he was too stubborn to admit it.

Joey stared at Ross. He loved Alex, she was a great friend and definitely a _very_ hot girl, but the night they had spent together had been just something they should have never done. Or not? When he thought seriously about it, he wasn't sure of anything, because Alex was amazing. She knew him so well and most importantly, she made him feel good with himself. Joey pondered his possibilities and, seeing that Michael was there, he decided not to answer.

"Dare! I pick Dare!"

Ross and Chandler chuckled, "Michael, I leave Joey to you!"

"Ok! Joey, I dare you to go out and knock at Alex' door…"

"No problem with that…" Joey laughed.

"Naked."

Chandler and Ross shared a knowing look and laughed to themselves. Michael had chosen a pretty humiliating penalty. Joey seemed a little scared.

"Oh, come on Joey, don't tell me you are shy." Chandler quipped.

"Hey, I am an actor! I've never felt shy in my entire life and I have no problem with some nudity!" he replied.

"Well…" Michael waved his hand and pointed at the door.

Two minutes later Alex was opening her door. Joey was in front of her, completely naked.

"Hello…" she murmured.

"Hi."

"Weren't you supposed to have that bachelor party tonight?" she wondered, trying to avoid looking at his legs while she was blushing.

"Yeah. We are playing _Truth or dare_."

"Oh, everything's ok, then." She chuckled.

Alex closed the door and Joey went back to the apartment, with the other men who were laughing like crazy. He dressed up again.

"Laugh as much as you want, Michael. But your turn will come."

"Oh, but didn't they tell you? I'm not involved in the game! I can only decide your penalties, Joey!" he replied, grinning.

"Oh, yeah? Then my next question is for Chandler."

"Why me? Ross was the one who asked you the spicy question!"

"Well, you are the one who was laughing harder! So, take this! Before getting together with Monica…have you ever felt something for Rachel or Phoebe?"

Chandler coughed and waited a couple of seconds, while Ross looked at him with curiosity.

"Which ones are Rachel and Phoebe, I don't remember." Michael asked.

"Rachel is my fiancé and Monica is Chandler's wife, who's also my sister. Phoebe is our best friend; bus she's not related to anyone of us."

"Well, I'll answer that." Chandler eventually spoke. "You remember the night of Rachel's birthday, when we had two parties because there were both Sandra and Leonard?"

"Yeah. That's when I kissed Sandra to distract her…" Joey smiled to himself while Ross looked at him with disgust.

"Ross, you remember that at a certain point you found me and Rachel hugging because she was very upset by all those fights between her parents?" Ross nodded. "Well, that evening I felt for the first time that not only Rachel was my friend, but she was also the sister I never had. And that's something I've never felt with Monica. I know that in the first two years that she was in the city I used to make sexual jokes about Rachel too, about her body and beauty, but that was just me being…me. With Monica I've always had a certain level of intimacy that I've never shared with the other girls. I've always felt something, even if I've never admitted before London. And Pheebs…well she's my best friend, she's always been the crazy one of the group and I love doing weird things with her. She's my counterpart, I also chose Monica's ring with her! And I couldn't live without Phoebe in my life, but…she's Phoebe, you know what I mean."

Ross nodded, smiling to himself for all the lovely words Chandler had just said. Joey was really satisfied by his friend answer.

"Which reminds me of something…" Chandler looked at Ross. "Janice once asked us who of the six of us had slept with the six of us and back then the answer was none of us. Then she asked if any of us ever…almost…"

Joey started to smile and so did Chandler, but Ross wasn't. "I…I don't know what you are talking about…"

"Come on, we all had something to hide! Joey got naked in front of Monica when he moved in with me! We are sure that you got nervous for something that almost happened with Phoebe!" Chandler kept talking.

Ross closed his eyes and sighed, blushing "All right, all right!"

Joey and Michael smiled and shared a handshake.

"It all happened the night that I found out that Carol was a lesbian. I went to the bar and Phoebe was already there waiting for us to arrive…she tried to console me, one thing lead to another and…we started to kiss…"

"Yeah, baby…" Joey said.

"37, Joey. You are 37!" Chandler said.

"Anyway…we couldn't go through with it, hopefully. We realized we were doing a very stupid thing and we stopped. If you guys had arrived a few seconds before, you would have found us lying together on a pool table!"

"I knew it!" Chandler screamed.

"Please, guys, this is something very personal, Monica and Rachel don't know about it."

"Didn't you say that you don't have secrets with Rachel anymore?" Joey mocked him and Ross glared at him.

* * *

Hardly the guys knew that back in New York, Rachel was asking Phoebe the very same thing.

"Phoebe…I noticed the look you shared with Ross that day, it was like you were trying to hide something…"

"But you were doing it too!" Phoebe protested.

"It's not the same, I only had a fantasy about Chandler when I met him here with Monica, it was just a stupid dream, and Monica knows everything about it!"

Phoebe snorted, "Dare! I want a dare!"

Monica laughed.

"Noo! Come on Pheebs, I promise I won't get mad at you! It must be something way in the past, isn't it?"

Phoebe thought about it and smiled to herself. "All right, I'll tell you. But you don't have to be judgmental and most of all I don't want you to get mad at Ross because of this!"

"I swear!" Rachel nodded.

"Ok, it happened the night he found out that Carol was a lesbian. Ross was very upset and vulnerable; I was trying to make him feel better. And…we almost did it on the pool table."

"What?!" Monica and Rachel exclaimed. Monica burst out laughing and Rachel grinned. She couldn't believe her ears.

"You and Ross?! That's so gross!" Monica exclaimed.

"Yeah, I know…I'm so so sorry, Rachel! I didn't want you to find out, ever! I wanted to take this secret to the grave! However, this was a lifetime ago, you weren't even back in Ross's life, you were still engaged to Barry! The bottom line is, we couldn't make it, that felt so wrong!"

"I can't believe you and Ross almost had sex!"

"Me neither." Phoebe agreed with Monica.

Rachel shook her head. "Why, was he so bad back then?"

"Oh no, he was sooo good!" Rachel smiled at her, proud of her boyfriend, "I think we could have gone through with it, but…we were just too much friends to go for it, you know?"

"Yeah…" Rachel thought about Joey, "I know what you mean. Oh, and this is why you knew that Ross was kind of sexy and could be really _smooth_ that night we were talking about the guys when we were spying on George Stephanopoulos!"

Phoebe nodded, "Uh-Uh, I had kissed him, so I knew what you were talking about even before you. Anyway, I'm glad we didn't make such a mistake, it would have ruined our friendship. Oh, Rach, are you mad at me?"

Rachel smiled, "Honey, no! It's been ages, nothing ever happened between you and Ross, I wasn't even there! But this doesn't mean that I can't use this story to have some fun with Ross when he comes back…"

"Rach, you promised!" Monica reminded her.

"I know, I know, I just want to pretend that I'm angry about the fact he didn't tell me this secret, but I'm not, I swear. It's just a funny memory from the past."

Monica sighed in exasperation. _You are never too much careful when it comes to Ross and Rachel's relationship_ , she thought.

"Ok, Monica's turn!" Phoebe screamed.

"Ok, but after this one I'm going to check on the kids." Rachel said.

Phoebe nodded, stroking her belly, "I've always wondered…before the proposal…were you really so upset and confused to think about going back with Richard?"

Monica sighed heavily and Rachel stared at her seriously.

"Wow. That's a tough one, Pheebs."

"Well…there's always a dare if you don't feel like answer…" she said, feeling a bit uncomfortable for the question she had just asked.

"Well…I must admit I had a few hours in which I had doubts. I didn't decide to actually break up with Chandler, but I wanted to take some time for myself to think. Richard was important to me, he was the very first love of my life, I can't forget about that. And in that moment he was ready to get back together and have babies with me. His words had shaken me, I needed time to sort things out."

Rachel and Phoebe nodded, remembering the situation created by Chandler's absurd plan.

"But…as soon as Joey told me that Chandler had only been planning to surprise me…I understood that I didn't need to think about anything. I was in doubt only because I was worried about losing Chandler. I hadn't been in love with Richard in a while, and that was also the moment I finally understood that Chandler and I would last forever."

"Oh, Mon, you two are the sweetest." Phoebe murmured, wiping away a tear from her eye.

"Pheebs!" Rachel smiled, caressing her leg.

"Hormones!" she explained.

"She's right, though. You and Chandler are so lucky. You found each other and never let go." Rachel said, with a tiny hint of envy in her statement.

Monica shook her head and stroke Rachel's hair, "The journey isn't as important as the final destination. When two people are soulmates, they always find their way back to each other. Don't they, Pheebs?"

"Sure, if they are _lobsters_." Phoebe smiled, "And if they have a friend with an inherited cab that drives them to the airport to prevent one of them from leaving the country."

Rachel began to smile, "Thank you, guys. I'm going to check on my children now."

* * *

"Ok, ok, my turn!" Ross jumped from the couch, "Joey, kind of the same question. Did you and Phoebe ever sleep together? Truth or dare?"

Chandler was curious, too. But Joey smiled to himself, "That's an easy question, Ross. And the answer is no, in spite of what you guys might think. We've kissed a few times, but those were always friendship kisses. In the first years, when we first met, our relationship was tender and we kind of like each other, but it never became anything more. We've always loved each other too much as friends to deepen the bond that we share. And I am so happy that she's finally found Mike, he's so good for her."

"Well, that's…unexpected. I was pretty sure that you and Phoebe had slept together at some point." Ross admitted.

"Honestly? Me too." Chandler agreed.

Joey smiled, "Sorry, guys."

"Ok, talking about sex…I've got another question for our groom-to-be." Chandler said.

"Shoot." Ross replied, crossing his arms on his chest.

"I remember vividly the night that Rachel came to town. You were complaining about the fact that you had been involved with your wife for four years. Later you confessed us that Carol had been the first woman you'd slept with. Even if you weren't totally truthful, because you'd also slept with Mrs. Altman, the librarian."

Michael almost choked, "What?! You slept with your high school librarian?! How old were you?"

"Sixteen, I'm afraid." Ross coughed. "Chandler, can you ask me your question?"

Chandler laughed, "Well, it seems to me that for a man who'd slept with only one lesbian woman and with an octogenarian librarian until he was 26, after that you had many relationships."

Joey nodded, "You know what? That's true! I mean, Julie, Bonnie, Emily, Mona, Elizabeth, Charlie…Mmm I feel like I'm missing someone…"

Chandler squeezed his eyes and sighed, closing his left hand in a fist.

"Rachel!" Ross exclaimed.

"Oh, yeah!" Joey smiled, oblivious to his naive dumbness.

"Ok, here's the question. Which is the best sex you ever had? And I swear, I'm not going to tell Monica, so Rachel won't find out."

Ross smiled to himself, he didn't need to think about it.

"That's no question, Chandler. That's just an affirmation. It's Rachel."

Michael smiled and looked intently at his uncle, trying to find any sign of resent in that response, but Joey was smiling lovingly at his best friend.

Chandler nodded, "Ok, but you are talking about what time that you two were together?"

Ross chuckled, "Every time. I mean…it's not just the fact that we've been together countless times, it's the intimacy that we share, the mutual knowledge and understanding, the stuff we like…it's never been just sex with Rachel, it's always been love. Even when we weren't together as a couple."

Ross suddenly remembered what had happened when Rachel was pregnant and late for having Emma.

" _This is insane, I'm not gonna make love to you just so that you'll go into labor."_

" _Make love? What are you a girl?"_

 _Ross had tried to ease the tension by making a joke, "Always a great way to get in a man's pants."_

 _Later Rachel had tried to entice him but he had rejected her advances._

" _Okay enough! This is, this is not going to happen!"_

" _Come on Ross! I'm miserable here! Come on! You started this, now you finish it! Come on wuss, make love to me."_

" _Y'know what?"_

" _What?!"_

" _Forget it."_

 _Ross was angry at her. She'd called him wuss; she had belittled his feelings by saying that he shouldn't say that they would make love and that he should probably talk about having sex with her. Then he had listened to her stupid remarks for another minute, he'd also accepted her stupid mimicking of his breathing, but then he hadn't been able to control himself anymore and he had jumped over her to kiss her._

" _What are you doing?!"_

" _I'm getting that baby out of you!"_

 _And when they had finally kissed, almost one year after the night they had spent together, it had felt like the right thing to do. Of course, Ross wasn't expecting for Rachel's water to break in a few seconds. They had stood up, ready to run to the hospital. They had reached the door and they had exchanged another amazing kiss, trying to convey all their feelings in that moment of joy, knowing that soon they would see their daughter._

 _And that was another example of how much he'd always cared for her._

 _Always love, never sex._

"Ok, enough with the sappiness. I've got a good one for Chandler!" Joey derided his friend.

"Oh no…"

* * *

"So, the kids?" Monica asked.

"I've put them under the covers; they were both asleep. They were so sweet, lying together on the couch…" Rachel smiled, thinking about Ben and Emma.

"Ben loves his sister very much, doesn't he?"

"Yeah…and he can't wait to have another brother, he keeps asking."

"Isn't it weird that that you and Ross have been trying to have another baby for a while and you aren't pregnant yet, but when you used an old condom on a one night stand you ended up waiting for Emma?"

"Phoebe!" Monica shouted.

Rachel looked at her friend in disbelief, but she reminded herself that the hormones were probably inspiring most of her bad remarks.

"Well…actually I hadn't really thought about it…what can I say, sometimes it's not so easy to get pregnant." She answered.

Phoebe mentally slapped herself for her stupidity, especially when she noticed Monica's expression at Rachel's statement.

"I'm sorry guys, please…forgive me, both of you."

"It's okay, Pheebs." Monica replied.

"And hey…you want to know something? I'm almost done with my menstrual cycle this month, so who knows, this could be our chance…"

"Really?" Phoebe exclaimed, enthusiastic. "You mean that Ross could come back from L.A. and find out the good news?"

"That's the hope…" Rachel confessed.

"Wow, this is so romantic!" Monica murmured. "I could be an aunt again!"

"Ok, let's not keep our hopes too high, let's move on with the game now!" Rachel grinned, clapping her hands together.

"All right! We've got a good one for you!" Monica smiled towards Phoebe. "We want to know if it's true that you and Ross didn't have sex the night that you got married in Vegas!"

Rachel chuckled, "Oh, that's so funny!"

"Why?" Phoebe asked.

"Because we don't remember! We were so drunk…that we actually don't know! The truth is that when we got up the morning after we knew that we had laughed a lot. Ross was naked but we weren't sure of what had happened the previous night, so we agreed that we probably didn't have sex."

"But he was naked!" Phoebe exclaimed.

"Though I wasn't! Later when I got home I started to remember little details and for what I can recall, after getting married in the Chapel, we went to _Pizza Hut_ to eat something, then we found some grapes and got back to my room. I fed Ross on the bed, then we got under the sheets to… _consummate_ the wedding…"

Monica and Phoebe exchanged an amused look.

"Then all I remember is that I awoke the morning after. I think that all the alcohol we drank that night really tore us out."

"Wow…I really thought you were hiding something hotter from us!" Phoebe confessed.

"Nope, sorry girls." Rachel smiled.

"Oh, I've got one, I've got one!" Monica screamed, waving her hand.

"But it's your turn!" Rachel protested.

"Come on, it's still about this!"

Rachel scoffed.

"If you could turn back time…would you still file for divorce?"

Rachel was surprised by Monica's question and she stared back at her with a knowing look. She was silently asking her if she was really supposed to answer.

"Come on, Rach…answer me. We are too old to ask for _dare_ , anyway."

"Ok, but then the game becomes _Truth or Truth_!"

The three friends started to laugh together.

"Ok…truth is…obviously…if I came back today, knowing what I know…Maybe I would not sign those divorce papers. You know how much I love your brother; this is where we were supposed to end. But when we got married in Vegas…that was a very complicated moment in our relationship, you know? It was only because of Phoebe if Ross realized how much he still loved me…"

Phoebe bowed and smiled, and Monica shook her head.

"I was in a very different place, I didn't know what I wanted at that time, I thought it wasn't the right moment to get back with him, I was still worried about our past. He had divorced Emily a few months before! That wasn't a marriage, that was a mistake, and even if the idea had been mine, the major cause of that wedding had been the high quantity of alcohol in our bodies. And the fact of getting married in Vegas like that, without a ceremony, without our families and friends, without our perfect day…I couldn't accept it. I mean…it's Ross!"

Monica and Phoebe had tears in their eyes.

"We deserve the wedding that we're planning now. Like a dream. With all of you, guys. And then I often think that if we'd decided to stay together back then, who knows…maybe Emma wouldn't be here today. Or maybe things would be different and Emma wouldn't be Emma. She wasn't planned at all, she was conceived in the most unconventional way and yet she is so perfect. I don't know if you can understand this, but she has messed up our lives and since I got pregnant Ross and I had started to get closer again…it was meant to be that way."

Phoebe sniffed her nose and Monica laughed between the tears.

"So you are telling me that if you could come back in time, you would divorce anyway."

Rachel smiled, "Yeah. I guess so. Knowing that Ross and I would end up together one way or another, I would."

"Rach, you are such an amazing woman." Monica admitted. "My brother is so lucky."

Phoebe kept crying, "Yeah, I don't know what I'd do to have your strength."

"Another batch of hormones?" Rachel asked her.

"Totally!" Phoebe replied.

Rachel laughed, "Okay, now it's Monica's turn!"

"All right! Please nothing that's going to make us cry…"

Rachel grinned mischievously. "I want to know…back in London… had you found Joey in that bedroom…you would have really slept with him?"

"Uhhh…saucy!" Phoebe exclaimed.

Monica chuckled, "Ok, that's fair. From Vegas to London. All right, I guess my answer will be…yes. I think I would have."

Rachel and Phoebe exchanged a look, then Rachel shouted, "Damnit!"

"What?"

"I owe Phoebe 20 bucks!"

Monica giggled, "It's no secret, you all knew that I was looking for Joey that night!"

"Yes, but I was sure that you wouldn't have slept with him!"

"Well, I'm sorry but that would be a lie…I was sad and drunk, I was looking for solace. The difference is that if I had slept with Joey, that would have been a one-night stand, nothing more. With Chandler everything was different because…we were meant to be. Sleeping together was like our destiny, it was the beginning of something that was already there. How many times during the years had we joked about dating each other if we were to end up alone at 40? Or when we were at the sea, and he was trying to convince me that he could be boyfriend material?"

"Oh, yeah…" Rachel remembered.

"I've always seen Chandler as something more than a friend, he was a confidant. And you know more than anyone how much I liked him when we were young and he was Ross's roommate at college."

"Well, this doesn't change the fact that you would have slept with Tribbiani." Phoebe laughed.

"No, you're right. But if you were glad of the fact that you didn't had sex with Ross, believe me…I'm _super_ glad that Chandler was in that room that night!"

"Hey, it's Phoebe's turn!" Rachel interrupted them.

"Yeah!" Monica shouted, almost bothered. "And I have a difficult question for you!"

"Shoot."

"If Mike hadn't come back to Barbados…you would have said yes to David? You would have married him?"

Phoebe sighed and thought about it, "Yes."

"I knew it!" Monica screamed.

"Well, I loved David, he was the only man I've ever really loved before meeting Mike. I've missed him so much all those years when he was working in Minsk."

"That's why you dated all those men?" Rachel asked, ironically.

Phoebe glared at her, "Yeah, that was my way of coping with his absence."

Rachel and Monica looked at each other, giggling silently.

"Anyway, when I met Mike I found someone that was so compatible with me. We both love music, he knows all my eccentricities and accepts them, he met all of you and I love the fact that he likes you for what you are, with all your faults. And let's admit it, you are far from perfect guys!"

Again, Monica and Rachel stared at each other, ignoring Phoebe's attitude. That was Phoebe, after all.

"Mike is my soul mate, and I'm glad I ended up with him. But if he hadn't come back, I think I would have said yes to David. I loved him, I was so worried back then that I would not find another boyfriend after Mike, I would have probably married him even only for gratitude."

"Wow…thank God I called Mike!" Monica finally said. "Oh, and I've got a good one for Rachel, too!"

"Okay…"

"I'm pretty sure you talked about it with my brother, but I'd like you to tell us, too. You mentioned that on your first date with Joey, you kept slapping him away and he couldn't open your bra…"

Phoebe chuckled, "I still can't believe that he couldn't open your bra!"

"It's not that I had melded its clasps together!" Rachel protested.

"But on your second date why did you realize that you couldn't have sex? Only because it felt wrong or…because of something else?" Monica asked.

"Mon…" Rachel smiled. "I think you already know the answer to that question…Anyway, you are right, I kept thinking about that _other_ second date."

"So…it's true, isn't it?"

"It is." Rachel admitted.

"What…will you update me, too?"

Monica smiled, "Do you remember Ross and Rachel's second date?"

"Oh…The Planetarium." Phoebe murmured.

"Exactly."

"So, that second night with Joey you were expecting to…"

"Yes." Rachel interrupted Monica.

"And yet you couldn't…"

"Nope." This time, Rachel interrupted Phoebe.

"So you realized that you really weren't meant for each other."

"Yeah…truth is, I'm only meant to be with one person, and it's your stupid brother."

Monica took Rachel's hand and Phoebe felt again the tears starting to form at the corner of her eyes.

Rachel shrugged and shook her head. "I can't help it, guys. He's the only man I've ever really loved. And even if I've realized this a little later than he did, I'm so in love with him. And that's the only conclusive _truth_ you're going to obtain from me in this game."

* * *

"Ok, Chandler. Here's a question for you. Do you think that you are going to tell the kids that they were adopted?"

Ross stared at Joey in disbelief, that was a huge serious question, he was so surprised that Joey had even thought about it.

"Your children were adopted?" Michael asked.

"Yes, Monica and I had some trouble in conceiving. We have twins, Jack and Erica." Chandler smiled while explaining to Michael, who nodded in answer.

Chandler pondered his words, "Well…Monica and I spoke about it a few times, but it's still so soon to even think about it, I mean, the kids are only one-year-old. Anyway, we think that we will tell them the truth as soon as they are old enough. They deserve to know the fact that they had an incredible mother who gave birth to them and decided to give them to another couple not because she didn't love them, but because she thought that we would make them happier than she ever could."

"Wow…" Joey was almost crying. "Would you adopt me too, Chan?"

Ross patted on Chandler's back, "Those are some incredible words, man."

"I know."

"All Monica's stuff, isn't it?" Ross asked.

"Little bit, yes."

"Ok, another tough one for Ross!" Joey kept talking. "I remember the night that you told us that your wedding with Emily was over. We were all having dinner together, she called us, and when we pretended that Rachel wasn't there, Emily insulted her. Then, you saw her walking away to her bedroom, she was sad and speechless. And that was when you decided to stand up for Rach."

Ross tried to remember that night.

 _When Ross had put Emily on speakerphone, all the guys in the room but Rachel had said hello to her._

" _Hello everyone. So, who am I saying hello too?"_

 _Joey had decided to help his friend in his own way,_ _ **"**_ _Well uh, I don't know about who's here, but I can tell you for damn sure who's not here and that's Rachel!"_

 _Emily had laughed, "_ _Well, I should hope not. Ross knows better than that by now."_

 _Rachel, feeling upset and humiliated, had waved her hands in disgust and started to head for her room._

 _And that had been the moment of truth for Ross. The moment he had come to the realization that he couldn't actually do this to her. And that he couldn't live without her._

" _Y'know what? Uh, Rachel IS here…"_

 _Rachel had stopped walking and had turned around, with incredulity on her face._

" _She's there?!" Emily had screamed._

" _Oh yeah, there-there she is!" Chandler had tried to make a joke to ease the tension._

" _Yeah, yeah, she's here." Ross had admitted, knowing too well that this would be the beginning of another argument and probably a very bad one._

"Well, I want to know if you think that you behaved like that…maybe unconsciously…to destroy your wedding because you were actually trying to get out of it."

Ross stared at Joey with a questioning look.

"I mean…you were trying to keep it together, but Emily was becoming more a weight than a wife and she was forcing you not to see Rachel anymore!"

Chandler was really curious to know if Ross would answer to that. "I've got a very good dare ready for you, man." He told his friend.

"No, I won't need it. I've never actually thought about it…I've always considered the end of my second wedding as a lack of trust because Emily couldn't have faith in me anymore. Trust is so important to me; Rachel knows it too. That's why we've been apart for so many years, I've lost her trust when I cheated on her and it was so difficult to rebuild the foundation of our relationship. But with Emily…I lost her trust for such a stupid reason…"

"Saying the name of your ex at the altar? What is stupid about that reason?" Chandler asked.

"What? You said the name of an ex-girlfriend the day of your wedding?" Michael asked, starting to giggle.

"Not **A** girlfriend." Joey explained to his nephew.

"You said **Rachel** 's name when you were getting married to this…Emily woman?"

Ross nodded and Michael chuckled. Chandler and Joey looked at the boy in amusement. Michael was really having the time of his life.

"Anyway, I've never thought about that night and that phone call. But I guess that Joey is right, that evening I took Rachel's side because when I saw how painful she was, walking away from us like that…I couldn't stand it. Maybe at that time I wasn't IN love with her because I thought I was in love with Emily, but she was still my best friend and…oh my god, you know what? Actually, I WAS still in love with her."

"What do you mean?" Joey asked.

"The day that Phoebe had Frank's triplets, Rachel came to me to confess that she still loved me."

"What?" Chandler screamed.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Joey wondered.

"Because at that time it was surreal…I was married to Emily, and she knew that. She asked me not to consider that confession as a threat, she only wanted me to know. But when she said those words, I realized that being married was an obstacle between us, because she was finally confessing that she still loved me and here I was, involved with another woman! And I really wanted to tell her that I still felt something for her, but I couldn't, because I wanted to save my marriage with a wife that I didn't even know how to reach, because she was avoiding all my phone calls!"

"Uhm…Ross, after saying the wrong name at the altar you were expecting a wonderful honeymoon?" Michael asked. Ross just glared at him. Michael was starting to like his uncle's friends very much.

"Anyway, that night when I saw Rachel suffering like that, I realized two things. First, I couldn't stay with Emily anymore. I didn't feel anything for her, not even attraction, because if she was so mean and petty to get angry at Rachel who had done anything to jeopardize our relationship, then she didn't deserve all the effort I was making to save it. And let's say it, if our marriage was falling apart it was all my fault, not Rachel's!"

"Words of wisdom." Chandler remarked.

"Second, I understood that I couldn't live without Rachel in my life, come on! And I know that the end of my marriage had a few consequences…Like getting depressed and mad…"

"Getting angry over a sandwich…" Chandler reminded him.

"Getting stuck in a pair of leather trousers…" Joey remembered.

"Dude, you do have some weird history!" Michael exclaimed.

"You have no idea…now you know why I don't need dares in this game, Michael. I can totally discredit myself on my own. And yes, Joey, I think I probably unconsciously sabotaged my wedding with Emily on purpose, that night."

"Thanks man…"

"Oh, you're welcome. Now I want you to tell me if you have any regrets about moving to L.A."

Chandler stared at Ross. That was a very dangerous question, especially to ask in front of Michael.

"Wow…that's a nice way to get back at me!"

"You made me talk about Emily, you know how much I hate that!" Ross explained.

"Well, Joe, if that can help…we really miss you back home. I know you're doing great here, and I know it's a tough question, but I'd like to know what you think because it would help a lot to be sure that you are happy about your decision." Chandler told his best bud.

Joey thought about it and looked at his nephew. Michael was smiling and waiting for an answer. Joey remembered the last year. The first troubles in finding jobs and friends, but the happiness of reconstructing his relationship with his sister and Michael. The way he could talk with Alex about everything. His role in _Deep_ _Powder_ and the main stream movie that he had just started to act in, _Captured_. The weird conversations with his friend Zach. The meetings in Bobbie's office. Yeah, he definitely loved Los Angeles.

"Guys, I miss you every day, very much. You can't rebuild in a few months what you struggled to create in more than ten years. We are more than friends, we are family. But I'm not regretful and I'm glad that I came here. I found something very different in Los Angeles. I have new friends, a new life. Ross, I was so jealous of what you had with Monica, but now I have rebuilt that kind of connection with my sister Gina and I also got the chance to know Michael here, who is a little genius." Joey patted his nephew on the back and he started to smile.

"My career is getting better every day, with some twist that I wasn't expecting, and I'm so happy about it. I mean, I am finally the big star in a huge movie! And about my everyday life...you know what? I think it was supposed to be like this…"

"What do you mean?" Ross asked him.

"Well, Chandler and Monica moved out of the city with the kids, Phoebe got married and now she's going to have the baby…you and Rachel got together again and now you are moving, too…I came here last year, but if I didn't, I probably would have done it now, you know?"

Ross and Chandler nodded.

"Otherwise you could have become like Mr. Heckles!" Chandler noticed.

"Ahah, very funny…" Joey continued. "But believe me guys, I'm happy here. Really."

"Good." Ross smiled. "That's all I wanted to know, Joe."

"And now let's go back to business…You mentioned Janice, before, Chandler. I want to know if you ever regretted those months you spent with her, you know when you got together after you found each other on that chatroom."

Chandler was speechless. How could he answer that question?

Of course his friends were waiting for an answer and he surely had it in his mind.

The truth was that he didn't regret his relationship with Janice. Even if now he couldn't stand her, there had been a time when he actually loved that woman. Janice had been his first true love. That relationship had changed him, in many ways. When Chandler thought about it, he realized that if Janice hadn't got back with her husband maybe he wouldn't had broken up with her, because he was really in love, back then.

She had taught him how to be a good boyfriend, he had matured a lot with her and the one with Janice had been his first long term relationship with a woman. He owed it to Janice, she had meant a lot to him.

But he couldn't confess these feelings to his best friends, especially to Joey. And he didn't want to lie to them.

"Dare, I want a dare!"

Joey grinned and Ross clapped his hands.

"Well, I dare you…to call Janice!"

"No, no, no!" he screamed.

"That's your dare, Chan-Chan Man!"

"And you can't hang up the phone until she's said at least one time…"

Both Ross and Joey shouted, "Oh – My – God!"

Michael didn't understand their conversation, but seeing his uncle laughing like that was enough to realize that those three had a very deep bond and a special connection. You could see it in the way they knew one another.

"Ok! But you are mean!"

Chandler took his cellphone and found Janice's number in his contacts list. He waited for her to answer and put the call in speakerphone so that all the guys could listen to her.

"Hello?"

"Uhm…hi…Janice? This is Chandler…"

"Chandler? Ah ahahahhah" Janice erupted in her usual nasal laugh, and Chandler made a repulsed grimace.

"I just wanted to…you know…"

Then Chandler had a great idea, the best way to get back at Ross and Joey for obliging him to make that call. "I am here with Joey and Ross! They really wanted to say hi!"

"Wow, hi guys! That's so sweet! How you doing?"

"Fine…"

"Hi Janice…"

They replied, not very happy for the turn of events of that call.

"Well, you know, Ross and Rachel are getting married in a month!"

"Wow, really? That's so cool, I thought you guys were just friends and weren't in that place anymore…maybe having a little girl together changed your perspective, uh?"

Janice laughed again and Michael put his hands over his ears not to hear it.

"Anyway, I'm very glad for you two, guys. I've always thought you are meant for each other, really."

Ross and Chandler exchanged a look and smiled. This was one of the reasons Chandler wasn't answering the question and was making that call. Janice was one crazy woman, but she was also a very sweet person. "Well, thank you, Janice. Really." Ross thanked her sincerely.

"Anyway, Joey is a bit shy, Janice but…he really wanted to ask you to come and visit him in Los Angeles to have another _Joey and Janice's_ _DAY OF FUN_!" Chandler suddenly said.

"What?!" Joey screamed.

"OH – MY – GOD! I'm definitely coming, Joey! That could be just amazing! Can I bring the kids and Sid, too?"

Joey sent a glare that could kill to Chandler, "Of course you can, Janice! I'm looking forward for you all to come here!"

"Fine, then I'll ask Chandler your number and we'll be in touch! Have a nice evening you guys!"

"Thank you Janice!" they all replied.

Chandler was grinning and Ross was laughing. Joey wanted to cry, "So, who's turn is it?"

"I think it's time for your question, Joe." Ross answered.

"Oh, just wait for Chandler's turn again. After this, his kids are going to grow up without a father."


	14. 43545

**This chapter touches a delicate topic, but I promise that it's suitable to read until the end.**

* * *

Emma and Rachel were watching _Cinderella_ when the door opened and Ross entered the apartment with his travel suitcase on his back.

"Daddy!" the little girl screamed, jumping off the couch and running towards her father.

"Hi sweetheart! Wow, that's such a warm welcome after a seven hours' flight! Oh I missed you!" he exclaimed, holding and repeatedly kissing his daughter.

"Have a present for me, daddy?"

"Of course honey, just let me unpack." He answered, letting go of Emma, who ran back to the couch.

While Ross was putting his bag on the floor, Rachel smiled tenderly and approached him for a well-deserved hug, "Any of those left for me?" she wondered.

Ross grinned and kissed her passionately. He'd been away only for a week, but he'd missed her terribly. "I swear I'm never going away without you girls ever again!"

"Why, didn't you guys have fun at Joey's?"

"Immensely, but I kept thinking about you and Emma, it's not the same without you. Chandler and I were talking about this during the flight. It was good spending some time alone, we have surely missed fooling around with Joey, but…it's not like we are twenty-five anymore. We are a family; we should always be together."

Rachel smiled, "I know what you mean…we girls missed you, too." She gave him a peck on the mouth, "So, how was the bachelor party? Did you keep your promise or should I blame Joey about something?"

Ross laughed, "Actually…it was a bit lame…we stayed home all night, playing _Truth or Dare_."

Rachel's eyes grew grotesquely wide, "No way!"

"I swear."

"So did we!"

"What?!"

"Carol asked me to keep an eye on Ben because Susan was sick and we decided to stay home with the kids, so Phoebe proposed to play _Truth or Dare_ , and we went on all night long!"

Ross chuckled, "This is unbelievable. Did you find out any _juicy_ secret about Mon or Pheebs?"

Rachel thought about their conversation and her mind immediately fell on an item.

 _Pool table_.

"Well, something interesting DID come out..."

Ross took her hands and started to move them in the air, "Ooooh, I have one about Joey too!"

Rachel tried to put on a straight face and stared at him, "Phoebe told me, Ross."

"Told you what?" he asked, totally oblivious.

"About you two…"

Ross's expression was priceless. "She…she…she…told you."

"Yes." Rachel kept her steady tone.

"And…and…and you…you know…that…that we…we almost…"

"I do."

Ross let go of her hands and started pacing in the room, Rachel stifled a laugh.

"Rachel, please, don't be mad at me, it was a million years ago, you weren't even there…"

"Ross, what about telling each other all the secrets? What about the trust?" Rachel acted as saddened as she could, like she had done when she wanted to prevent Monica to get ready the day of her wedding.

"I know, Rach, I should have told you, but Phoebe and I felt so weird about it, we thought it was better not to tell you guys, and nobody knew until now…oh, we should have never played that stupid game!"

"What do you mean, do Chandler and Joey know?" Rachel asked, feigning rage.

"Well…they kind of found out while we were playing…"

"Oh, this is unbelievable! So the people who knew this before me were Phoebe, Chandler and Joey!"

"And…Carol…"

Rachel was surprised by the turn of the conversation.

"I told her, actually, because I was trying to make her feel jealous to convince her to get back with me…I think that's actually what brought us together for a little while and that's how she ended up pregnant with Ben during our last night together."

"Wow…you never told me that…"

"Yeah, I don't like talking about that period of my life, you know how bad that was for me."

Rachel remembered that she had to pretend to be angry at him, "Anyway that's not the point, Ross! The point is, you made me feel so terrible a few weeks ago, so what am I supposed to do now?"

"I know, I'm so sorry Rach, I swear, I didn't even remember about this, I thought it wasn't so important, it was just a stupid thing Phoebe and I did and…nothing happened, we just kissed and then those stupid balls on the table kept staying in the way and…"

Rachel tried to imagine the scene and she couldn't hold it anymore, she started to laugh.

"Wh…Why are you laughing?"

She kept laughing at him, bent over on her knees.

Ross started to realize that she was probably making fun of him. "Oh, come on!"

"Oh, Ross, you are so silly at times!" she said, approaching him and putting her arms around his neck.

"Ems, do you know that your mom is a horrible person?" he asked his daughter, who was still too involved with the movie to pay attention.

"Come here, you."

Rachel kissed him lovingly.

"I hate you." he whispered on her mouth.

"No, you don't. You are sooooo in love with me."

"If being in love means that my whole life changed completely the day I saw you entering _Central Perk_ running from your wedding…Yes, I think I may be just _a little_ in love with you."

Rachel squeezed her eyes and smiled, "Looks like someone has been working on his vows."

"Mmm…Maybe. With Carol and Emily, I didn't have vows, you know? And I don't remember anything about that ceremony in Vegas, do you?"

She chuckled, "I think there might have been vows, but they probably involved promises about eating a lot of grapes and sleeping together after the feast…"

"Which we didn't…" Ross reminded her. "So, you still owe me one, _Mrs. Ross_."

Rachel giggled, "Whenever you want, _Mr. Rachel_! And Ross, just so you know…I'm not mad about that whole Phoebe stuff…you are right, it's way in the past. I wasn't even there! You were free to do whatever you wanted!"

"You sure?"

"Of course, honey! But I'm glad you actually didn't sleep together…it would be so weird to share you with one of my closest friend…"

"Yeah…now you know why I'm so glad you never actually slept with Joey."

Rachel nodded.

Ross gave her a last kiss and walked towards the entrance to get his bag, "Oh, Rach…you didn't tell me. What about…" he nodded to indicate her belly.

Ross didn't mention out loud what he wanted to say because they never spoke about the sibling subject in front of Emma, but they both knew when they were touching that particular topic.

"My period started yesterday."

"Uh…"

Ross could tell that Rachel was a bit disappointed, again. They had started to try and conceive a baby for a few months now, and yet it seemed like they weren't lucky.

He approached her again and he hugged her from behind, "Hey, I'm sorry too. But don't get nervous about it. It's not like we can't have babies; in fact, we happen to make wonderful children together."

"Yeah…" she murmured, looking at her daughter.

"Just be patient, Rach, I know that it was easy with Emma, but that was an incredible coincidence of factors."

"You meant a wonderful accident?" she laughed.

"You'll never listen that word from my mouth talking about Emma, and you know that." He chuckled.

"It's just…I want to give her a little brother or sister so much, you know?"

"I know, me too. Just wait. It's not like we don't try enough! And by the way, our wedding is in one month…we've got so much stuff to think about already."

"Ok…You are right, Maybe I'm just too stressed."

"Don't doubt about it…with the wedding, the new house, Emma, your job and me to take care of…Hey, here's an idea."

"What?" she asked, looking at him full of love in her eyes.

"Maybe we should go away for a couple of days, just you and me. We could go to the sea, enjoy some time together on our own, some relax before the final rush until Hawaii…what do you think?"

Rachel thought about it. Everything at work was calm and maybe they really deserved some quality time together.

"All right."

"Yeah?" Ross kissed her. "Wow, can't believe I convinced you."

"But we should probably schedule the trip in a weekend during my ovulation period…"

"What do a man need more than an excuse to stay in bed for two days in a row?"

Rachel chuckled, "Shh, don't let Emma hear you!"

"She's too much into it, whenever the Fairy Godmother is singing _Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo_ you can expect her to tell you about the pumpkin by the second…"

Emma was smiling, she pointed at the screen and she called her father, "Daddy, the pumpkin is a carriage!"

Rachel and Ross exchanged a knowing look and walked towards the couch to sit with their daughter, who was almost squeaking in excitement.

Even if they were on either side of Emma, Ross and Rachel held hands above her head for the whole time Cinderella and the Prince danced.

* * *

Ten days later, Rachel was feeling terrible.

She was visiting Monica at _Javu_ during her lunch break and not only she didn't feel like eating at all, but she was also very moody.

Monica was trying to help her setting up the tables for the wedding dinner, but Rachel wasn't very cooperative.

"Remember, my cousin Cassie is almost a supermodel, after what happened when she came to New York, we want her as far as possible from Ross and Chandler. Uhm…maybe even Phoebe."

Rachel was playing with her fork, not listening to a word that Monica was saying.

"Talking about Joey's parents, don't expect anything but weird presents from them, but they are so sweet. Oh my God, you remembered to invite them, didn't you? Joey is going to get mad if you didn't!"

Monica noticed Rachel's absence for the umpteenth time that morning, so she started to say ridiculous things.

"Ok, after your wedding I've decided to get a divorce from Chandler and to sell one of my babies because I can't afford twins anymore. I'm probably getting married with Joey after that."

Rachel kept looking at her plate.

"Rachel, did you hear a word of what I just said?" Monica asked her, irritated.

"Yeah! Of course! You were…you were saying that Joey's father is getting a divorce and that he wants to get married with your cousin Cassie?"

Monica chuckled. "What is wrong with you today?"

"I'm sorry honey, I just think I'm getting sick…I feel bad, blue and the worst part is that Ross and I were supposed to leave for the weekend, but I have an unusually long period and I feel just…blash!"

Monica looked intently at her friend. She had lived with Rachel for years and she had known her very well. Rachel had never had long periods in her life.

"Rach, did you speak with your gynecologist?"

"No, I think it's just stress…"

"How long is it since you've had menses?"

"Eleven days."

"Rachel!"

"I know, it's long, but…"

"Oh my God…I've just remembered something…" Monica murmured.

"What?"

"There was this waitress that worked with me at _Alessandro's_ a few years ago…something similar happened to her. She made a pregnancy test and it turned out that she was pregnant, so she thought that she was having a baby."

"Really?" Rachel asked, encouraged by Monica's speech.

Monica shook her head. "No honey, she had an abortion. Her doctor told her that pregnancy tests are usually positive because hormones levels are very high, even if an abortion is already happening."

"Oh my God…" Rachel whispered.

Monica took her hand.

"Rachel, maybe it's not that. But just for precaution, please go home right now and have a pregnancy test, ok? Then call your doctor at once."

"Ok…"

Rachel was flabbergasted. She'd never thought about this possibility and now she was very scared.

"Rachel?" Monica called her back from the table before she could actually leave.

"What?"

"You have to tell Ross."

Rachel nodded slowly.

* * *

The SMS she had sent to Ross couldn't be more cryptic.

 _Hon, I need you more than ever. If you can, get home soon, Emma is with my mother. Luv ya._

Rachel was watching the pregnancy test that had been lying on the sink for ten minutes, by now.

She just couldn't watch it alone.

She didn't have enough courage; she couldn't handle this on her own.

She needed Ross.

She had read something on her old pregnancy books and now she was hoping desperately that the test would turn out negative. Because having a positive result could mean that she may be having a natural abortion, and she couldn't stand this idea.

When she heard the door opening, she didn't move.

"Rach?" he called her from the living room.

Rachel didn't answer, she stood there, nibbling her right thumb nervously and watching the plastic test.

"Rachel?" Ross peeked out from behind the door, it took him a few seconds to realize what was going on.

At the beginning he was excited. Then he counted mentally and realized that he shouldn't be, because Rachel couldn't be pregnant.

"Honey, what's going on here?"

"I still have menses…deep menses."

"It's been ten days!" Ross said.

"Eleven, actually…and I've been also feeling awful and I noticed that I am tired…so today I spoke with Monica and she told me about a woman she knew…she had an abortion after something like this, Ross…"

Ross's eyes grew wide, "Ok…Rach…don't…don't jump to the wrong conclusion, sweetheart, ok?" he tried to soothe her, hugging her. "So, why are you making a pregnancy test?"

"Because…if it's positive…It means that my hormones level is very high and this could mean that I might be…"

"Rach…honey…it could also mean that you are pregnant…I've heard of women who had difficult pregnancies, starting with bleeding and then resulting in wonderful healthy babies, ok?"

"I am scared, Ross…"

"Rach" he looked straight into her eyes, "Whatever happens, I am going to be there, ok?"

Rachel nodded.

"I am right here with you. How long does it take for the test to be ready?"

"It's been there for ten minutes…"

Ross chuckled, trying to ease the tension and caressing her cheeks. "Ok, do you want me to look at it?"

"Yes, please…I was alone when I found out that I was pregnant with Emma…I don't want to do this on my own again…"

"Of course…come here, then."

Rachel literally grasped Ross's back and hid her face into his stomach while he took the test from the sink. She heard him inspiring deeply. Ross closed his eyes and then turned the little plastic object with trembling hands.

Rachel didn't hear nothing, but Ross's heart bit speed increased. That was her sign.

"I think we need to get to Dr. Long right now, Rach."

Ross felt Rachel's tears starting to wet his shirt. He still had his tie on, even if during summer months he dressed more casual for the last lectures of the semester, he loved wearing ties. Rachel grabbed it and pulled it with disappointment.

"Rachel…please look at me."

She shook her head and almost fell to the ground, so Ross took her by the arms, while she kept crying.

"Rachel, you are the strongest woman I know. You are incredible and you are going to get through this, if…if there's something wrong. But please, let's go check in with Dr. Long and understand what's going on, ok?"

Rachel's eyes were filled with tears, but she found the strength to look at him and hold him, sniffing, without saying anything else.

"Do you want me to call Monica or Phoebe? Maybe you want your mother to be there with you and I can go and check on Emma?"

"No, no…this is about us…" she managed to say. She took his hand and brought it to her lips, kissing it, "All I need is you."

If during the years Ross ever had doubts about Rachel's feelings for him, after hearing this, he promised to himself that he would never ever distrust her anymore in his entire life. He couldn't love her more than at that moment.

* * *

"Rachel, don't worry, but we need to make a _transvaginal sonography_ this time."

"Why?" she asked, grabbing Ross's hand.

"I need to understand if…there's still a baby in there. According to your last period and to what you've said, I can't really say what's going on until I see it, ok?"

Rachel nodded, tears in her eyes. Ross kissed her forehead.

After watching accurately inside Rachel's uterus, Dr. Long and Ross were visibly saddened.

"Rachel…I can't see a gestational sac in here. No yolk sac, no embryo echoes."

Ross sighed.

"So it means that…there is no baby?"

"I don't know…You are at 7 weeks, which is a perfect timing for an abortion. But I can't be sure until we make some more analysis. I want you to take some blood samples. We need to monitor your hCG levels. We'll make one test today, then you have to take the same exam after four days."

"Ok, but…why?" Ross asked.

"Because abortion is not the only thing we need to exclude; I must be sure that Rachel is not having an ectopic pregnancy either."

"Oh my God!" Ross exclaimed.

Dr. Long glared at him.

"What, what is that?"

"Rachel, please don't worry about it now. It's just a rare possibility and seeing that you're not suffering from any abdominal pain, I would say this is not our scenario."

Rachel sighed, "Ok…"

Dr. Long walked behind Rachel to talk with Ross in private, "But I want someone to keep a constant eye on her, she doesn't have to work for the next few days until we have the second result of the exam, because if she starts feeling any kind of hurt, you must hurry to the hospital, are we clear?"

Ross nodded, "I'll be there at all time."

"Ok, Rachel you can go. I'll call you later to tell you the results, ok?"

"Thank you for everything, Dr. Long." Ross shook her hand.

"Just doing my job. I was just hoping to give you a better news before the wedding…"

* * *

Four days later, Rachel and Ross were sitting on the couch with all the gang around them.

Phoebe was huge and she was feeling uncomfortable because she knew that her friend was having a hard time. Rachel already had a daughter, but she wanted so much to have another one. As for Monica, she was feeling bad because she had been the one to warn Rachel in the first place.

"…And the peacock bit me!" Chandler concluded.

"Wow…that's…that's a fascinating story!" Mike said.

"Yeah, I can't believe we heard it for the forty-ninth time." Monica replied.

Ross chuckled and patted Chandler's back, "Anybody wants another beer?" he asked.

"Erica! Please don't disturb Aunt Rachel!" Monica warned her daughter, who was trying to climb on the couch to get in Rachel's arms, as she usually did every time she was with her Aunt.

"It's ok, Mon. Don't worry, I'm feeling a whole lot better now that you guys are here."

Ross sighed and smiled at her, disappearing into the kitchen with Chandler in tow with Jack in his lap.

"So, how are you two dealing with all of this?" he asked him.

Ross was taking some bottles from the fridge, "I know it's weird but…this thing is helping us to get even stronger as a couple. I think we've never been so close and in harmony with each other."

"I know what you mean. It happened to me and Monica too, when we found out that we couldn't have kids. Those things can both destroy you or help you grow."

"Yeah…I mean…Rachel was so scared when she made the test, and I was too. But we decided to deal with this together as a family and be strong, for Emma. And by the way, thanks for watching her this morning."

"So what happened today?"

"Well, Dr. Long told us that Rachel's first level of hCG was at 20071, which unfortunately didn't exclude an ectopic pregnancy yet. Today they took another blood sample to verify her level, she said she's going to tell us when we are going there for a new sonography by the end of next week."

"When are you going?"

"Saturday."

"Wow, ten days?"

Ross nodded, "She said it takes some time to see if there's still a baby, if we went there sooner it could be useless."

Chandler nodded in comprehension, "And then you'll know."

Ross sighed, "And then we'll know."

Chandler patted Ross's back and the two friends walked back to the living room, where Phoebe was entertaining the kids by playing her guitar.

Emma was laughing and Rachel smiled when she noticed the expression on her daughter's face. She exchanged a look with Ross that was worth a thousand words.

* * *

"I'm pretty sure that it was an abortion Ross."

"Would you stop saying that?" he pleaded Rachel, without losing the hold on her hand.

They were waiting for Dr. Long to call them in her office and they were getting nervous.

"I'm sorry, but it just makes sense. My menses stopped three days ago and I'm feeling a whole lot better."

"We don't know the result of the test yet, honey."

Rachel scoffed, "Why are you keeping your hopes up?"

"Because I love you and I think it's time that fate make amends with us."

Rachel smiled, "You mean for all those years we were apart? I thought we both agreed that it was _our_ fault, not destiny's fault. You know for the break and the cheating, and my stubbornness, and all my nonsenses, the fact we didn't take the chance after Emma's birth…"

Ross chuckled, " _That_ was us. But _this_ …"

Rachel sighed and understood his point of view. Ross wasn't always the most pious man, but there were times that his faith became very important to him.

She was almost saying something to encourage him, when the door opened and Dr. Long called them, "Rachel, Ross?"

"First of all, Rachel, how have you been?"

Rachel tried to smile, with Ross's hand still clutched into hers. "Well, apparently better, Dr. Long. The menses are gone; I'm not bleeding anymore…"

The doctor nodded, along, "Well, this could be a good sign. Ok, I know that you must be very nervous and I don't want to waste too much time. I've got the result of the hCG test you made last week."

Ross looked at Rachel trying to instill her with all his love.

"The hormones level moved from 20071 to 43545."

Rachel released a breath and Ross smiled. She heard him asking hopefully, "It grew?"

"Yes, it did. And this is a _very_ good sign. And now we need to see what's going on…in there…"

Rachel nodded and stood up from the chair. She undressed herself behind a curtain and she put on a white gown, then she sat on the comfortable reclining chair.

"Are you ready?" the Doctor asked.

Rachel took Ross's hand in her, then she replied, "Now we are."

When Dr. Long began her sonography, Rachel closed her eyes and leaned her head on the chair cushion. Ross instead kept looking at the screen, his heart beating faster than ever.

He had seen many sonograms in his life, but no other had been as much important as this one.

The Doctor scanned Rachel's uterus and tilted her head in front of the screen. After a couple of minutes, she smiled.

Ross felt his heart almost exploding when he saw the little _bag_ appearing on the screen.

"Rachel…" He murmured, trying to hold on the tears but with his voice broken for the emotion.

"What…it's gone, is it?" she asked, opening her eyes.

"No, Rachel, it looks like Emma is going to have a little brother or sister very soon." Dr. Long explained.

"Really?" Rachel asked, her voice a soft moan. She immediately started to cry, getting conscious of the fact that she was in fact pregnant.

"Yes…here it is…the gestational sac, the yolk sac, and most important…the embryo. Everything is there."

Ross hadn't been crying for happiness in a very long time, not since that faithful night in which Rachel had decided to get off that plane. Now everything was so overwhelming that he couldn't stop the tears from coming.

"Ok…length…17.5mm. I would say it's 8 weeks long, Rachel. Your ovaries are perfect and there is no free liquid in the Douglas' pouch. Very well."

"Doctor…do you have a due date?" Ross asked.

"Well according to this timetable, it's January 26th."

"Wow…Rach, don't blame me but I hope you are late one day again because…"

"…That would be your mother's birthday." Rachel smiled adoringly at him.

Ross nodded and kissed her tenderly on the forehead.

Sensing that they needed some privacy, Dr. Long stood up. "I've recorded this for you, you can watch it again, if you want. I'll give you a few seconds."

"Thank you…" Ross replied.

Rachel silently thanked the doctor for her kindness.

"I can't believe how lucky we are…we are having another baby, Ross…"

"I know. It's unbelievable. It seems like yesterday that we were here for Emma's first sonogram."

"But this time I don't need your help, because I can totally see him."

Ross grinned at her, "You think it's going to be a boy?"

"Well, that was your plan, Ross. Remember?"

Ross tilted his head, trying to understand.

" _A boy and a girl, hopefully the girl coming first so that Ben wouldn't feel too competitive._ " Rachel quoted him.

"I can't believe you remember that…" he kissed her hand.

"Well, I do. Oh, and Ben asked for a brother, by the way."

"He did? When?" Ross wondered.

"When we were in Washington and we had that long chat."

Ross nodded, "What would you want?"

"Honestly? I don't care. After what we've been through, all I want is for the baby to be healthy. Oh, I can't believe I'm pregnant…"

"Well, I tell you what. After living with you and Emma I've changed my mind. I already have Ben as a son, so the idea of having another girl just makes me ecstatic. And I wish she was as gorgeous as Emma."

Rachel's eyes were still wet for the tears, so they were of a lovely light blue.

"As beautiful as you. I love you, Rach."

"I love you, too. And I can't thank you enough for the strength that you've given me in the last few days. I could have never made it without you."

"Let's turn this embryo into a girl and call it even."

Rachel laughed, "You are a scientist, Ross. You should know that it all depends on how well you worked before."

He chuckled and kissed her passionately for the first time that day.

"Ok, let's get out of here. I can't wait to tell Monica and Phoebe. Oh, and we need to call Joey!"

"I think I'm going to call my mother and Ben while you call our friends. But ask Monica not to tell Emma, I want to tell her tonight, maybe we could go out together."

Ross was walking towards the door to call the Doctor.

"Ok…for our first dinner all the four of us. You, me, Emma…and Isabella."

Ross turned around, "What? I thought you didn't like that name..."

"Emma didn't feel like an _Isabella_. But Ben is the one who proposed this name for his sister. I don't think we could disappoint him if the baby was a girl, could we?"

Ross grinned and walked back to Rachel, hugging her tenderly.

"Only God knows how much I love you." He whispered to her ear while he held her.

"You are wrong." She got rid of the hug to stare at him. "I know that too, Ross."

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

I'm probably going to update with longer delays from now on, but I'm not abandoning this one.The next chapters will be all about the wedding, and I promise that they will be a nice ride :)Talking about this chapter, it is once again very autobiographical, but I liked the idea to counterpose a very easy pregnancy (like Emma's) to a difficult one.It's not always so easy to have babies in real life.A Happy New Year Everybody!


	15. My Best Friend and My Sister

Hi everybody, here's to a crappy new year!I'm kidding, I hope you all started this 2019 in the best possible way.

I'm providing you with this new update because the next one won't be available probably until the very end of February, but as I already told you, these chapters will be about the wedding, and I'm excited about all the ideas I have in my mind.

I hope you all appreciate this chapter, I sure had fun while writing it. Once again I wanted a few little moments between my four favorite chararacters, and I felt I needed to point out a few things about the relationships between Ross and Monica and Ross and Chandler.

There will be references to "Joey", if you never watched it, I suggest you to do it, because I consider it to be canon and it's a huge part of our fandom. This part of my fanfiction is probably located around the beginning of Joey Season 2.

Rossella

* * *

 **HONOLULU – TWO DAYS BEFORE THE WEDDING**

 **10.00 a.m.**

"We are here! We are really here!" Monica screamed in excitement.

"Geez, relax Mon! One would say YOU are the one getting married in two days!" Ross replied.

"I can't help it; this is so amazing! It reminds me of when we all went to London for your wedd…"

As soon as Ross and Rachel glared at her, Monica stopped talking. Chandler smiled at his wife and took her hand in his, "Maybe I should relax." She concurred.

"Yeah." Chandler agreed.

The four of them had landed in Honolulu an hour before, now the taxi had finally brought them to the hotel that would accommodate all the wedding guests.

Ross and Rachel had decided to travel with Chandler and Monica sooner than the rest of the family to be sure to take care of all the wedding preparations.

Needless to say, when they had proposed their schedule to Monica, she had been thrilled.

Jack and Erica had been left home with the Gellers, Emma was staying with Sandra.

Phoebe and Mike would reach them with the rest of the guests because they were in charge of escorting the musicians with the same flight that almost all the rest of the family, friends and colleagues would leave with.

This was one of the main reasons they had chosen Honolulu as the final location of the wedding: everybody could arrive there with a direct flight, so it was the easiest city to reach in Hawaii from all over the States.

Monica had every reason to be excited. Two days yet, and Ross and Rachel wouldn't be boyfriend and girlfriend anymore. They would become husband and wife.

And even if they were trying to keep a low profile, they were looking forward for that moment to arrive.

"Rach, are you okay, sweetie?" Ross asked her.

Since they had found out that she was pregnant, Ross had been excessively attentive. But he couldn't help it, her pregnancy had started so roughly, that he was still scared that something could happen to her.

"I'm fine honey, just a little tired for the long flight."

"Here, let me take this for you." He offered to take her hand luggage.

"Ross, it's just a bag!" Rachel retorted.

"But…"

"Ross…" Rachel took his face into her hands, "You need to calm down, ok? I'm feeling great, and Dr. Long said that I'm doing well and that everything will be fine. I don't even have morning sickness; this pregnancy is going even better than Emma's one!"

"I know, but…"

"No buts, Ross! Just relax, and breath…"

Ross nodded fast and did what she said. He breathed slowly and tried to calm down.

"The baby and I are fine. And we will be even better when we will check in and we can have a long hot shower, ok?"

"Oh, yes, check-in!"

Chandler and Monica looked with incredulity as Ross ran towards the desk to speak with the receptionist.

"How did you do it?" Chandler asked her.

"After eleven years, I know how to deal with a hyperactive over caring Ross just as much as you can deal with Monica in _OCD modality_. You just have to give him a new task." Rachel smiled, adoringly.

"I don't have an OCD modality!" Monica shouted.

"Oh really?" Rachel asked. "Oh, look! There's a delivery man wearing an unbuttoned uniform!"

"Where?" she screamed.

Rachel grinned as Monica looked almost everywhere to find her target.

"Ok…ok…Maybe I'm a little over the edge because I want things to be cleaned and tidy and organized. But I don't have an _OCD modality_."

"I'm not complaining. You are here because we need you to use your amazing skills and check that everything is ready for our wedding, Monica!" Rachel soothed her, stroking her arm.

Monica smiled lovingly, "Oh, stop it!"

"Don't let her manipulate you like that! The last time you did, you cooked a Thanksgiving meal and everyone showed up late!" Chandler tried to shake Monica.

"But it is true! We need Monica more than ever! She is our wedding planner; we need her to be sure that everything goes according to plan!" Rachel reinforced her speech.

Monica was distracted, looking at a painting that seemed to be hanging crooked.

"And what will YOU do in the meantime?" Chandler asked in a whisper so that only Rachel could hear.

"I'll enjoy these two days until the rehearsal dinner of tomorrow night!" Rachel explained.

Chandler thought about it for a couple of seconds, "Can I join you?"

Rachel was laughing when Ross came back from the reception, "Everything's done. Here's our magnetic cards, we all have near bedrooms as I asked when I booked. God, we practically have a whole floor for the wedding!" Ross commented.

"Complaining about the money? You are the one who proposed _Hawaii at sunset_ , honey."

"No, I'm just very grateful that your father is paying for the flights and the hotel." Ross commented. "Oh, Mon, they want your IDs for the identification, you should leave them now."

"Ok." Monica said.

"Honey, I'm getting upstairs to get that shower and some sleep, would you mind catch up on the details of the wedding with Monica while I rest?"

"Of course, sweetie!" Ross gave her a kiss on the temple. "I'll think about everything with her and Chandler."

Rachel shared a knowing look with Chandler, who coughed, "Actually, I was thinking about…getting in our room too, honey. I'm a bit tired, you know with the jetlag and everything…"

"Oh…ok, honey…" Monica smiled at her husband. "We'll catch up later for dinner?"

"Yeah, we'll probably be by the pool…uhm…in our rooms!"

Ross and Monica waved their goodbyes while Rachel and Chandler looked at them grinning like two idiots.

"I'm going to pay for this if she finds out."

"Oh, come on, let the two of them think about everything just for today! Ross told me that we've got a free drink agreement with the hotel bar…"

"But you can't drink alcohol!" Chandler reminded her.

"But I can have soft drinks with little umbrellas while I sunbathe by the pool. Let's go!"

* * *

"Oh My God, Ross…This place is going to be wonderful!"

"You think so?" Ross asked his sister.

"I know you don't like to hear about it, but this is going to be ten times better than London!"

Monica had tears at the corner of her eyes. She was visiting the location on the beach where Ross and Rachel would get married two days from then.

"It's like a fairytale. I can't believe Rachel isn't here to see this. Just imagine all the lilies over the carpet, and the wreaths on the columns of the gazebo, the decorated altar, the white benches and the stage for the musicians…"

"Well, during the ceremony they are going to sing to accompany the bridesmaids and then Rachel walking down the aisle…well…not really the aisle, but..."

Ross mimicked the steps of the bride over the carpet, Monica nodded.

"And during Joey's speech and the _I take thee_ part, the guitarist will play some lovely tunes as a background."

"Why did you decided for the _I take thee_ instead of the _I dos_ , by the way?"

"I wanted to show the whole world that I CAN say the right name." Ross smiled.

Monica chuckled, "What songs did you ask for?"

"Sam, the singer, is a huge fan of Pearl Jam just like Rachel and I, so I asked him to play some acoustic version of their songs."

"Wow, that's very sophisticated. What about U2?"

"I think they'll put on _With or Without You_ when we cut the cake and we also want _Wicked Games_ for our first dance. But since we've hired this band the whole wedding dinner is going to be very different than what we had imagined before."

"Chandler told me that the band is amazing. He said the girls are so good that they are even better than the Swing Kings."

Ross nodded, "They really are, you'll see. Mom and dad will be thrilled. I think that Nana would have loved them too."

Monica thought about her grandmother for a couple of seconds and she started to cry, "Oh Ross, how can you still do this?"

Ross chuckled and held his sister in a warm embrace.

* * *

 **LOS ANGELES – TWO DAYS BEFORE THE WEDDING**

 **2.00 p.m.**

"Gina, would you stop putting clothes inside Michael's suitcase? We are not leaving for a week, it's just a two days' trip!" Joey scolded his sister.

"I know, but I don't want my son to make a fool of himself in front of your best friends. It's a very important wedding, and you are going to be the minister. Again!" she exclaimed.

"I know, and I'm so excited about it! Ross and Rachel have been dancing around each other for ten years, I'm so grateful that they are finally doing this!"

"I bet you wouldn't be so glad if you two actually managed to have sex together that night, would you?" Michael asked, coming from the living room.

Joey glared at his nephew and Gina laughed at her brother.

"Rachel and I weren't just meant to be, Michael. She's always been in love with Ross and I doubt that we would have lasted in the long run, even if we'd slept together."

"Wow…that's the first time I hear you doubting your sexual skills." Gina smiled.

Joey grinned ironically, "There's a first time for everything. And…you can't imagine how many times those two had sex together."

"And…I think I really don't want to know." Michael replied.

Joey and Gina walked down the stairs towards the kitchen.

"Anyway, thanks for helping Rachel and accepting to be her hairstylist for the wedding."

"Oh, no problem! It'll be fun to go back and do my old job for such a big event!"

"I'm sure Rachel is going to love you." Joey assured her.

Gina looked at him with curiosity, "Is she the spoiled brat?"

Joey thought about it, "No! No, no, no, no! She works in fashion, she's a little into her looks…but she's not a _spoiled brat_." Joey tried to convince her.

Gina crossed her arms, "Who's paying to bring all the guests to Honolulu?"

"…Her father."

"And who's paying the hotel for the guests?"

"…Her father."

Gina smiled, "Spoiled brat."

Joey waved his hands. "Ok, she might be a little bit spoiled, but Ross and Rachel are paying for the rest of the wedding, I swear."

"And you are the minister?"

"Yep."

"Who bought the rings?"

"That was Chandler's gift as the best man."

"Who bought the wedding dress?"

"Rachel's mother insisted to buy it as a present to Rachel."

"And what gift did they ask you?"

Joey smiled, proud of himself, "I surprised them by paying for their honeymoon in Europe."

"And…Who's doing Rachel's hair and makeup?"

"You are."

Gina moved her hands to see if Joey was getting there.

"She still IS a spoiled brat!" Joey shouted.

"Yes." Gina patted her brother.

At that moment, Alex entered from the courtyard.

"Hi guys!"

"Hey, Alex! I'm glad you are here! So, have you packed your bags yet?"

"Uhm…Not really…"

"What? Why?"

"I was thinking that maybe…I shouldn't be going with you…"

Sensing that they needed some privacy, Gina walked away, "I'll go upstairs to help Michael finish packing."

Joey moved from the kitchen to stand in front of Alex, who was wearing a pink shirt and a pair of white trousers.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know; I just don't feel this is a good idea."

Joey knew that Alex had been behaving weirdly since the night they had spent together, but he was hoping that everything would be fine between them. He loved her and he really wanted her to go with them.

"Alex, Ross and Chandler already met you, but I really want Rachel, Monica and Phoebe to see you, too."

"Why?"

"Because…they aren't only friends to me, they are my family. But now…you became like family too, you are a very important part of my life."

Alex gazed at him with sparkles in her eyes, "Really?"

"Of course. You are one of my best friends. And I need you there with me, I want my two worlds to merge for once, and I'm sure my friends are going to love you."

"You think so? Even if I am a lawyer?"

"Hey, Phoebe's husband was a lawyer, you can always speak with him! Besides, I don't have a girlfriend at the moment and I hate going to weddings without a date."

Alex laughed, flattered by his proposal. Maybe this could be her chance to show Joey how much great it could be if they were together. A chance to tell him how she really felt about him.

"So? Are you coming?"

"Ok…"

"Great!" Joey kissed her cheek. "Now, let's go pack, tonight we're going out all together to eat something, my treat, ok?"

"All right."

Alex walked past the door to her apartment with the biggest smile on her face.

Now she couldn't wait to leave for Honolulu.

* * *

 **HONOLULU** **– TWO DAYS BEFORE THE WEDDING**

 **7.00 p.m.**

"I still can't believe that everything is actually ready. We still have one day and nothing seems to be going wrong." Ross told Monica, who was walking under his arm. She was so happy that she wasn't even tired for all the rides and walks they had done that day.

"I know. And as a chef, I can't wait for the rehearsal dinner tomorrow night to taste the menu. But until now, everything looks perfect. This is nothing like London."

"Because this time it's meant to be."

"It better is, I'm starting to get tired to plan all of these weddings."

Ross looked at her, "Really?"

"No!" Monica screamed, smiling, "This should be my second job!"

Ross laughed and squeezed her under his arm, "And you planned all of this from New York, how could you possibly do this? You are amazing, Mon…"

"You know, I already loved planning Phoebe's wedding, but…you are my brother and Rachel is my best friend. I've been dreaming for you two to get married for years, you know?"

"I'm sure you were very disappointed when we broke up back then…" Ross joked.

Monica stopped walking and Ross sensed her sudden change of attitude.

"I'm…I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

Monica shook her head, "When you and Rachel broke up…I never stopped rooting for you two to get back together, you know that."

Ross nodded, captivated by her words.

"But when you met Emily…I was the one who pushed you to start a serious relationship with her."

"Monica…"

"No, it's true Ross! I suggested you to follow Emily to the airport, I convinced you that you were in love with her…maybe if I hadn't insisted on scrutinize your feelings, you wouldn't have ended up getting married in London…Oh my God, that was all my fault! Maybe you and Rachel would have reconciled before! You would be married and you would be the ones living in the suburbs with two kids and a house!"

Ross took Monica's hands in his, "But without London, maybe there wouldn't be a Monica and Chandler." Ross interrupted her. "And what about Jack and Erica?"

Monica stared at Ross silently.

"Or maybe you would have gotten together much later…But we can't live our lives on ifs and buts, Mon. It's all in the past, now."

"But I feel terrible if I think about how excited I was for your wedding with Emily. I knew that Rachel was suffering, and yet I wanted you to get married with a woman you barely knew because I thought you were living my _fantasy_."

"Mon, you thought I loved Emily because **I** thought I loved her."

"But you didn't."

"You can't be in love with someone when your heart has already been claimed by somebody else."

"Yet, I can't help but feel responsible."

"We're all responsible for London. You shouldn't have challenged me to run after a woman I hardly knew and who lived abroad, I shouldn't have proposed to Emily in such a hurry, Rachel should have told me that she was feeling weird because I was getting married, Emily shouldn't have pretended to anticipate the wedding. But most of all, I should have stopped the wedding after saying the wrong name at the altar."

Monica smiled, "Noooo, what makes you think that? Wasn't it better to finish it and then getting a divorce?"

"So please, don't ever think that I blame you for any reason. I would never do that. At least London gave me one of the best things that ever happened in my life. My best friend and my sister getting together."

"Yeah?" Monica asked with teary eyes.

"Of course. I love you, you are my family, and your happiness will always be a priority to me. I will always be your older brother."

Monica looked at him with admiration, "The best brother a sister could ask for."

Ross smiled and kissed her temple. He took her again under his arm and they started walking again. "And think about this, who knows if Emma would be _Emma_ if Rachel and I had got back together before London…I know it's weird, but…"

Monica was grinning, "You and Rachel really ARE meant for each other."

"Why?" he asked.

"Because you just said something that may seem weird to the rest of the world but that apparently makes much sense to both of you, because I've heard her say it before."

Ross smiled unconsciously and sighed.

"I'm looking forward to see Emma, I miss her so much."

They had just reached their hotel and were walking outside, there was still light and it was a very hot day.

Monica nodded, "I also miss the kids. But just a few hours and…hey!"

"What?"

Monica let go of her brother's held when she noticed something around the pool.

"Look!" she screamed, pointing at Rachel and Chandler, who were lying comfortably on a beach chair with sunglasses and bathing suits.

"I can't believe those two!" Ross cried out. "Here we are, running to put together a wedding, and they have fun without us?"

Monica scoffed, "Oh, I'm gonna make them pay!"

"How?" Ross asked, intrigued and amused at the same time.

Monica started to whisper something in his ear.

* * *

"Do you think we should head to our rooms?" Chandler asked.

"What time is it?" Rachel asked.

"It's seven."

Rachel sighed, "They'll probably be back soon, maybe we should…"

"Attention please" the speaker intervened after a crackle "Miss Rachel Green and Miss Chanandler Bong are required to meet their friends to the other side of the pool. Thank you."

"What the…?" Chandler stood up immediately, removing his sunglasses "Is that supposed to be funny?"

"Oh God, they saw us!" Rachel took off the sunglasses and her hat and put them on the chair.

They both started to look around, but didn't see no one.

"Let's do what they asked." Rachel murmured, standing up.

The two started to walk near the side of the swimming pool.

"This is bad…oh, they are going to be angry!"

"I told you this was a bad idea!" Chandler shouted.

"But why would they want us to go to the other side of the pool?" Rachel asked.

"To do this!" Monica's voice screamed behind them.

Before Chandler and Rachel could utter a word, Ross and Monica pushed them into the pool.

Chandler resurfaced at once and coughed, glaring at his wife, "This was totally your idea!"

"I know!" she smiled, giving a high five to her brother.

"Oh, I hate you Gellers when you gang up against us! Ross I can't believe you did this to your pregnant wife!" Rachel screamed, moving her hair from her face.

"Oh, come on, you were the one to ask me to relax. So I did!"

Monica bent over to reach Chandler, "Say you are sorry for lying!" Monica asked.

"Okay…" he nodded. "But first…"

Taking advantage of a moment of distraction, Chandler dragged Monica inside the pool with him.

"Chandler!" she screamed. "You, idiot, I was dressed!"

"I haven't noticed. I'm sorry!" He answered.

Monica laughed and kissed him.

Rachel gazed at Ross with a tempting look in her eyes, but he just said, "No way!"

"Come on, you _wuss_ …" she implored him.

"You are not going to convince me…" Ross bent over on the border of the pool and Rachel approached him, putting her arms out on the cement.

"I bet I am." she murmured.

"How?"

"You know, there is still one kind of kiss that we've never tried all these years."

Ross was intrigued. After a few seconds he realized that they'd never kissed underwater.

"Rach, we'll have tomorrow and the day after the wedding to do it properly…in the sea…by ourselves…" Ross whispered.

Monica and Chandler were by now in the middle of the pool, holding each other and laughing tenderly.

"But now I have a craving. And I need to try it immediately."

Ross looked at her with suspicion, "This is just a way to convince me to get in there, isn't it?"

Rachel squeezed her eyes, "A little bit, yes. But it wouldn't be fun if you didn't get inside with us."

Ross bent a little bit more, "Ok, but as soon as I get in, we start a water battle against Monica and Chandler."

"Deal."

They kissed and Ross caressed her cheeks. Then he stood up, took a couple of steps behind and ran to jump inside the pool with a scream and a splash that lifted a huge amount of water against Rachel's face.

When he didn't emerge from beneath the surface, she took a breath and reached him below it, just in time to feel Ross's hands taking hers to drag her closer. Rachel almost smiled when she felt his lips touching hers and they both struggled to stay under the water as their bodies were pulled to float on the surface.

Ross ended the kiss and stood up in the pool, then he took Rachel in his arms and she put her legs around his waist. They both emerged on the surface smiling at each other.

"Wasn't it worth it?" she asked.

"Every second. And have I already mentioned how beautiful you are today?"

"Not yet, but thank you, honey."

"Hey, lovebirds, are you coming or what?" Monica asked.

Ross looked at Rachel, who nodded in approbation. Five seconds later they started an epic water battle against Monica and Chandler.

Needless to say, Monica decided that she was the winner.

* * *

 **HONOLULU** **– TWO DAYS BEFORE THE WEDDING**

 **10.00 p.m.**

Chandler put his mobile phone in his pocket.

"Well, Joey said everything's ready, they're leaving tomorrow morning."

"Is Alex coming?"

Chandler smiled, "Yep."

Ross grinned, "I can't believe Joey still can't realize that woman is in love with him."

"Who knows, they say many people find their soulmates at other people's weddings!"

"You surely did!"

"And I owe you one!"

Ross chuckled. Rachel and Monica have decided to go out for a walk because Monica wanted to show the location of the wedding to Rachel.

So Chandler and Ross were out on their own, walking on the seashore with many other people who were enjoying the night parties on the beach.

"Wanna know something? Don't get me wrong. I'm glad that Joey is not alone in Los Angeles. But with Michael, Gina, Alex and Zach…don't you feel like he's almost…I don't know, kind of…forgetting about us?" Chandler asked.

Ross nodded in understanding, "I know that you miss him, Chandler. But I think that even if Joey had stayed in New York, things wouldn't be much different."

"Why?"

"Because you moved…because now you have two kids to think about. It's like when I had Ben and you started to bond with Joey because you lived together. I knew that we were still best friends, but what you shared with Joey was always more special to you."

Chandler felt suddenly guilty for how he had behaved towards the only real friend he'd had during the college years, before meeting Joey. Ross was the reason he'd decided to move to Apartment 19 and, most importantly, the reason Monica was in his life.

He never gave him enough credit for that.

"Ross, I'm sorry if sometimes you felt left out…"

"Oh, come on Chandler, you guys invited me, _most of the times_!" Ross chuckled.

Chandler chuckled too, "Not to our naked Thursdays!"

"Believe me, I'm only glad I missed those!" Ross replied.

"The fact is, Joey and I were so in tune with each other, we loved doing stupid things together and have fun… I still cared about you, it's just that I had a new best bud to _go nuts_ with."

"Of course, of course…"

They both kept walking, trying to ignore the screams coming from the girls and boys who were running after each other on the beach.

"Besides… Since Joey left it's the two of us again and…it's not so bad, you know? Like when we were in college. Two geeks, staying home, watching _Star Trek_ while the kids are sleeping and the girls are out having fun with the crazy friends…"

"You mean Pheebs?"

"Yeah."

"Well…I'm sorry if my friendship with Joey hurt you in some way or if you ever felt neglected."

"Chandler, don't worry…I know that you and Joey are close and I've never resented you two for that, really. And I was the one who wanted to live by myself, remember? I got married so soon, it's just how things were supposed to be. Now that Joey is gone I miss him because we are supposed to be a trio, but I must admit that I like spending time only the two of us."

"Yeah…it's nice. At least until there aren't bullies or gyms memberships involved." Chandler quipped.

Ross chuckled, "Or tacos and space mountains."

"Eww!"

Ross laughed, but became serious almost immediately. "Chandler, I think I already mentioned how much special to me was the fact that you and Monica got married."

"Mmm…yeah, during your speech at the rehearsal dinner, I guess…"

"Yes, but…I've never told you that Monica could have never found a better guy."

"You think so? Not even Richard?" Chandler asked, seriously.

Ross shook his head, "Hey, I like Richard, he's my father's best friend, I grew up with him. He made her really happy when they were together, but as a brother I've never seen her as…fitting…as she's always been with you. I mean, you complement each other perfectly. I'm really proud of the fact that my little sister ended up with my best friend!"

"Why are you saying this to me now?" Chandler asked, grinning in satisfaction and touched by Ross's words.

"Because I'm getting married, and for the last time, hopefully…"

Chandler chuckled.

"Rachel and I look at you and Monica and we are...inspired by you two. You never had uncertainties, troubles, worries. You are so strong together. I wish we could be more and more like you in the future."

"Wow, thank you, man. I can't believe we became better than _Roschel_!"

Ross glared at him.

"Oh, come on, you invented _Mondler_ , I can't come out with a nickname for you two?"

"Fair enough."

Ross and Chandler were now back to the beach in front of the hotel, where a group of friends were playing the guitar in front of the ocean. They were singing _Wake Me Up Before You Go Go_ by the _Wham!_ , and the two friends couldn't help but smile.

"Well, I think I should thank you for being my friend during the most difficult years of my life. You know, when I didn't talk with my father and my relationship with my mother was so tough."

"Well, you were there for me too, Chan."

"And again, thank you for introducing me to the most important thing in my life."

They didn't need to specify whom they were talking about, but they both smiled.

This was the nice thing about their friendship. They could talk about serious things without feeling weird.

With Joey and Chandler, whenever a deep conversation happened, they felt the urge to do some masculine activity to change topic. But Ross and Chandler were used to confide secrets to each other since they were young, they had spent nights talking about girls and dreams for their future in their common room at the college. Nothing had changed, they could still express their emotions without feeling too sensitive.

"Remember how nerd we were back then? Twenty years do change a man!"

"I remember vividly that you kept talking about Rachel and dinosaurs."

Ross stopped walking and chuckled nervously, "So, nothing really changed, uh?"

"Well, we hadn't played in a band anymore…until now!"

They both started to laugh as they made the typical lame cool guy handshake.

"I'm so happy to have the chance to play at the wedding, thank you for doing this with me. I just hope Rachel is going to like it…"

"I'm pretty sure she's going to throw her bouquet at you" Chandler disagreed, "But I think your odds are good. I'm just sorry I didn't have the same idea for my wedding."

They shared a knowing look.

"Yeah, Monica, wouldn't have allowed it." Chandler agreed with Ross.

* * *

 **10.30 p.m.**

Rachel and Monica were standing right under the gazebo, trying to imagine all the wedding in front of them.

"And then Joey is going to forget about the rings."

"Come on, he promised me that he would study this time!" Rachel reproached Monica.

"Wanna bet?"

"Let's say 50 bucks?"

"Deal." Monica shook her hand.

Rachel inspired deeply and smiled with her eyes closed.

"You are so happy." Monica told her.

Rachel nodded. "You know…when I was marrying Barry…I felt awful. I kept thinking, _What am I doing? Why am I doing this? Is it for me or for someone else? Is it me or Barry looks exactly like Mr. Potato Head?_ "

Monica chuckled as she watched her friend walking on the same carpet over which she would walk again dressed as a bride in just two days.

"But now…I am not scared, at all. I thought I might panic as soon as I got here, but…nothing."

"It's because this time it's real, honey."

"But it was real even when you got married with Chandler, and yet you were a bit anxious. And he was too, he even disappeared for a couple of hours!"

"Yes…but that was just some…misunderstanding…this time it's you and Ross…I know that you've been together again for only one year, but with all your history it's almost like you two never actually split up." She caressed her hair.

"I know that this doesn't change anything, we already live together, we have Emma and another baby coming but…I can't wait for Saturday…"

"It's your big day, Rachel. You guys deserve this so much…after all you've been through."

Listening to those words, Rachel had a sudden epiphany and remembered the night of her going away party.

"Mon…You think I would have made it in Paris, on my own?"

Monica smiled, "I think you would have been great out there. You would have been a very successful woman, and maybe you would have found someone to share your life with."

"But?" she asked.

"I think you wouldn't have been _really_ happy. Without New York, without Ross, Phoebe, Chandler and Joey."

"Without you, Mon."

Monica smiled lovingly at her best friend.

"I know that Phoebe is my _official_ maid of honor, even if you are both going to be there. I wanted to tell you why I picked her."

"That was our plan since I got married, Rach." Monica explained.

"I know, the system where we trade off being maid of honor for each other."

"Am I a genius or what?" Monica smiled.

"Yeah, you are, but…What I mean is that I asked Phoebe to be my maid of honor anyway and I didn't do it only because of the system, but also because she's the one who's always believed that Ross and I were meant for each other. She wanted so much for us to get back together, even when we didn't see it."

"I know…" Monica murmured.

"You know that when Ross was hiding that we were still married and he hadn't asked for the annulment, Phoebe was trying to make him realize that he was doing it because he was still in love with me? And when Emma was born she's the one who convinced Ross to ask me to start dating again."

"And don't forget about the ride to the airport…"

"Well, if it wasn't for her _phalange_ , maybe we wouldn't be here today." Rachel grinned.

"I know honey, and you don't have to excuse yourself."

"But I do! Because you are more like a sister to me than anybody else. You should be my official maid of honor."

"You let me plan the wedding, and I'm the second bridesmaid. And if you let me be your second child's godmother, I call it even."

Rachel hugged her, "You don't even have to ask about it, Mon."

"I can't wait for Phoebe to arrive tomorrow. I kind of miss her craziness!" Monica noticed.

"Yeah, me too. And I'm so glad that this time she won't miss the wedding. She would have killed me if she couldn't have flown to Hawaii because of the pregnancy!"

"I think she would have come swimming." Monica claimed without doubt.

* * *

 ** _Reviews are very appreciated, and please, forgive my language, as usual._**


	16. Rehearsal dinner

Hello everybody, I'm back after a long hiatus.

I'm sorry, but real life got in the way with a very important exam.

I've got to say I really enjoyed writing this chapter, I hope you like it! :) It was a bit rushed, so maybe you'll find more typos and grammar/lexical mistakes than usual.

As I promised, from now on we are in for a _wedding ride_.

I'm not sure this fiction will be very long after the wedding because I feel like I'm already reaching my initial goal with the wedding ceremony.

Well, we'll see.

* * *

 **NEW YORK** **– ONE DAY BEFORE THE WEDDING**

 **9.00 a.m.**

The JFK gate was full with people waiting to leave for the wedding.

Phoebe was almost at her sixth month of pregnancy and yet she couldn't feel better. She was strong and happy, looking forward to reach her best friends to celebrate the wedding they all had been waiting for. Mike was sitting next to her, in charge of controlling the bags on the cart.

"I want to see mommy, Aunt Bi-Be!" Emma shouted, pulling Phoebe's skirt with her tiny hands.

"I know, Sweetie. We have to get on this huge plane, and if you promise to behave, mom and daddy will be there to get you when we land."

"Promise?"

"Pinky promise!"

Emma laughed and intertwined her pinky finger with Phoebe, then ran towards Sandra, who was sitting in front of Mike and Phoebe. She said something to Ben, who was listening to some playlist on his _iPod_. After a couple of recommendations from Carol, the two siblings walked away hand in hand.

"I must say Ross and Rachel are doing a very good job with them. They seem to be very close."

Phoebe nodded, "Ben is a smart kid, always has been. I hate to admit this, but I feel like he may actually become like Ross."

"A pain in the ass?"

Phoebe chuckled, "Yeah, that too. I mean, Carol and Susan are very smart too, have you noticed how brilliant he is? I'm not surprised that he's so good at school. Moreover, he loves being the big brother. He's very mature and protective with Emma. I really hope that our son will be like him."

Mike smiled at his wife and gave her a quick peck on the lips.

Judy and Jack came back from the bathroom with Jack and Erica in their arms.

"Well, this wasn't easy." Jack confessed. His hair looked disheveled and he had big stains of water on his shirt.

"I thought you were accustomed to take care of them?" Mike asked.

"Yes, in our home, when we have everything we need at its right place!" Judy exclaimed, a little bit over the top.

Carol stood up to her rescue, "Judy, please let me help you."

"Oh, thank you Carol…" she exhaled.

Carol took Erica in her arms and made a big smile to the little child. Mike followed her lead and took little Jack from his grandfather's hands. The two Gellers sat down to relax a bit before boarding.

"Miss Buffay?" a voice called Phoebe.

"Oh, here you are. And please, Sam, call me Phoebe. Miss Buffay is my mother. Better, it was my mother. She killed herself when I was 14."

The young musician and his three sisters grimaced, almost petrified.

Mike coughed, "Too much information, honey."

"Oh, yeah, you already told me that."

One of the reasons Phoebe and Mike had scheduled to leave one day after Monica and Chandler was to escort to Honolulu the band that Ross and Rachel had hired for the wedding. Ross had felt that, musicians themselves, Pheebs and Mike were the best persons to entrust with this important assignment. Phoebe had been in touch with them for a week and they had met at the ticket-counter that very morning.

"Well, guys… try and remind me all your names, but I must tell you that my friend Joey has got seven sisters and after twelve years I can't distinguish them, yet."

Sam laughed, "Ok, I'm Samuel; these are my sisters Debora, Lidia and Rossella."

Next to them the bass player and the drummer of the band were coming, too.

"Those are Marco and Ivan."

"Ok. So you are all from Italy, uh? Joey is going to hate this; he doesn't speak a word of Italian!" Phoebe explained to Mike.

"All right. The instruments are on board? Ross told me that you were only asked to take your guitars, saxophone and double bass with you because you'll find drums in Hawaii."

One of the girls, Debora, nodded. "Everything's ok, we just wanted to tell you that we were thinking to book a shareable from the airport to the hotel, we don't want to bother you or Mr. Geller further." She said, looking at Phoebe's belly.

"Nonsense, Ross has already reserved a minivan that will take you to the hotel and will be at your service for moving the instruments. Everything's fixed, don't worry about it."

The group smiled at Phoebe's warm words.

They were starting to like these people more and more every day. This trip was becoming not only a matter of hiring for them, but also something personal. They usually enjoyed every concert and every private party, but they felt that this wedding would be very special.

At that moment, Leonard Green appeared from the corridor with his two daughters Amy and Jill in tow.

"Here they come." Sandra smiled ironically.

"Well, now the party can finally start! If we can call this a party, my daughter is marrying _Wethead_." Leonard declared in the middle of the room.

"Always the bad habit to make people recognize you, uh Leonard?" Sandra asked him.

Judy and Jack were too tired to start an argument with him, so they let it go.

Amy and Jill hugged their mother while Ben and Emma were coming back from their little walk with snacks in their hands.

"Look girls, your niece and nephew are coming back." Sandra smiled.

"Oh, God." Jill scoffed.

"Jill. You promised..." Sandra warned her.

Jill shook her head in a petulant way and Amy laughed, "Come on, Emma is almost cute. It looks like she didn't get Rachel's nose in the end. Oh, that would have been fun!"

The two sisters started to laugh and Phoebe looked up to the ceiling.

"Fine, but the boy isn't Rachel's real son. He already has two mothers; does he really need a third one?" Jill asked.

All the people who heard that sentence turned around to look at Jill. Fortunately, Carol and Susan were far from the Greens because they had walked towards Ben and Emma with Erica.

Phoebe stepped into the conversation, "Listen, you little class-a-bitch. I don't care what you think about Ross's former family. You should only be interested in two things. First, Rachel loves Emma because she's her daughter and Ben because he's going to be her step-son. And she loves him unconditionally, she's been there since day one, and believe me, he needs a third mom, if that mom is Rachel."

Jill, Leonard and Amy were looking at Phoebe with incredulity.

"Second, you can say whatever you want in private, while you do what you want in your pathetic lives. But if either of you "sisters", or you Dr. Green…say something to spoil this day for Rachel or Ross while we are there…you'll have to deal with me."

Dr. Green and his daughters seemed regretful, but Mike, Judy and Jack were looking at Phoebe with admiration. Sandra tried to appear nonchalant, but she was happy not to be the recipient of that telling off.

"So, are we ready to get on this plane?" Phoebe asked, smiling to everyone.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Dr. Green replied, smiling in response.

"Good, let's go folks!" Phoebe screamed.

"I think the pregnancy made her more evil." Amy whispered to Jill ear when Phoebe had walked away.

"You have no idea." Mike confirmed to the two sisters.

* * *

 **HONOLULU** **– ONE DAY BEFORE THE WEDDING**

 **7.30 p.m.**

The restaurant room was filled with white lilies and blue roses. Since the ceremony was in Hawaii, Monica's idea had been to choose the blue as the main color of the wedding and when Rachel had seen the combination of those flowers in the first bouquet, she had gasped for its beauty.

In order to respect the color code, the six friends were all dressing with something blue also for that dinner. Ross had a light blue elegant shirt over a pair of linen trousers, Chandler and Joey both wore jeans with a shirt. Phoebe had a lovely blue band through her hair and a long blue polka dot dress with white dots that enhanced her lovely belly. Monica wore an elegant long black gown and a set of blue accessorizes (earrings, necklace and bracelet).

They were all just waiting for Rachel to arrive at the rehearsal dinner.

The band was playing on the stage as they would do the following day for the wedding, the waiters were serving the food chosen by Monica as the menu for the wedding dinner.

Everything was perfect.

Monica and Chandler were chatting with Jack and Judy while monitoring their children movements. Erica was crawling behind her brother – who could already walk.

Phoebe and Mike were talking with Alex, Gina and Michael in front of the stage.

"So, how was the flight?" Phoebe asked.

"Nice, actually. It took us six hours, two hours of time zone…I can't complain." Alex answered.

"What a bitch!" Phoebe shouted.

Alex's face turned into a horrified expression, afraid to have said something that might have offended Joey's best friend.

"Hormones…" Mike explained, whispering behind Phoebe's back.

Michael and Gina nodded, both well accustomed to Gina's other sisters' pregnancies.

"It took us 12 hours to reach Honolulu and the kids drove me crazy! And with the time zone it's five hours of difference, which means that I'm so tired that all I want is to go to sleep, but I can't because I'm the stupid maid of honor!" Phoebe complained.

Michael, who was eating some food from a plate, offered one to Phoebe, "You want a grilled veggie skewer?"

Phoebe looked at him and took the skewer from his hand, starting to cry, "How did you know that I am a vegetarian?"

"Joey told me almost everything about his best friends." Michael smiled.

"Yeah, he can't keep his mouth shut about you guys, can he?" Gina laughed.

Joey was looking at the scene from a safe distance, talking to Ross.

"Where is Rach?"

"You know her, she's always late." Ross chuckled, watching Emma trying to become familiar with her two aunts Jill and Amy, who were not particularly appreciating her effort.

"So, how's everything going with the Greens?"

Ross nodded, "Surprisingly well, actually. I don't know what happened before the flight, Mike mentioned that Phoebe spoke with them to make things straight. I assume if everything goes well I'll have again something to thank her for."

Joey grinned, thinking about the crazy run to the airport with Phoebe's cab that had leaded Ross to this very day.

"And I'm glad that you eventually decided to come with Alex. Chandler and I like her a lot, you know."

"Guys…I already told you, she's a friend, ok? Even after that night we spent together…I don't feel like changing our relationship, we are neighbors. No, we are friends!"

"Yeah, yeah…like Chandler and Monica were neighbors AND friends. Like Rachel and I were friends." Ross smiled and patted his friend back. "Just think about it."

Joey turned around in time to see Alex staring at him. She quickly diverted her gaze, but Joey smiled to himself.

At that moment, Rachel appeared in the room and of course, she enlightened it. All the people who noticed her started to smile.

Ross wasn't looking at the entrance because he was talking with Chandler, so Joey patted his shoulder.

The band started to play _My Girl_ by The Temptations and Rachel flushed when she recognized the song.

"Well, she might be late, but you can't say she doesn't know how to make an entrance." Chandler told his friend.

"You are one lucky bastard." Joey laughed.

"I SO am." Ross chuckled along with them.

Rachel was marvelous, indeed.

She had chosen a short dark navy blue dress with spaghetti straps that had a lovely décor that showed her wonderful back.

Ross watched her walking slowly towards him, stunned by her beauty.

"Well, I haven't seen you looking at me like that in a while." she said, hugging him.

"I always look at you like that. But tonight you are just…wow!" he whispered.

Rachel giggled, "Well, if you think I look perfect today, I can't wait to hear what you're going to say tomorrow when you see me in a certain dress, honey."

Ross chuckled, "God, It's true! But could you BE more perfect than this?" he asked.

Chandler got closer to Monica and quipped, "I should have patented that way of speaking, and I would be a billionaire today!"

"Oh, believe me, I can." Rachel promised Ross. "And remember that in a few months I'm going to look like a whale again, so enjoy this view until you can".

Ross took her hands, "You were at your absolute greatest in my eyes when you were pregnant and I could talk with Emma in your belly."

"Really?" she asked, with teary eyes.

"You were my eighth wonder." He concluded, kissing her.

The people in the room were looking at them in awe.

Even Dr. Green couldn't help but make a little smile when he saw them holding like that. He was sitting next to Sandra.

Things between the two of them had gotten better since he'd had his heart attack.

They had started to see each other again; there were times that they could even stay in the same room. Sandra was not as judgmental as she used to be ten years before; Leonard had learned that living without a wife could be stressful and…boring.

When Sandra had found out that Leonard had promised to pay for the flights and the hotel, she'd been very impressed and she had also called her ex-husband to thank him for the gesture.

"Is my mommy beautiful grandpa?" Emma asked Leonard.

He looked at his granddaughter and then at Sandra.

"Of course she is, _sweetpea_. She's the most beautiful mommy in the whole world." He answered.

"And my daddy, grandma? Is my daddy cool?"

Dr. Green grimaced and Sandra stifled a laugh, "Well, Emma. Ross is…very nice!"

Amy and Jill were looking at Rachel with envy in their eyes, but they tried to hide it, "That dress makes her ankles look fat." Jill pointed out.

"I think you two should stop talking about your sister like that. You are both as beautiful as she is, sometimes I'm just afraid that they lack in the intelligence department." Sandra said this last sentence so that only Leonard could hear her. They both nodded in acknowledgment.

* * *

After the first two courses, Monica and Chandler were talking in the restaurant lobby.

"Are you ready for your speech?" she asked him.

"Well, it's not my first time with Ross." He smiled.

Monica punched him, "Chandler! What did I order you?"

"No jokes about the divorces…"

"And if you want to have sex again, you are going to respect this rule!"

"But without them it won't be fun!" Chandler complained.

"I don't care! You can joke about something else!"

"Ok, I'll just make do with the _we were on a break_ thing."

Monica glared at him.

"It never gets old." Chandler smiled.

At that moment, a well-known voice erupted in an infamous sentence behind them.

" **Oh…My…God!** "

Chandler and Monica's eyes almost exited from their orbits when they heard Janice's voice shouting in excitement.

"You guys!" she ran towards Monica and she hugged her vehemently, then she held Chandler and kissed him on the cheeks. "What are you doing here?!"

"Vacation!"

"Seminar!"

Chandler and Monica stared at each other, shocked for the fact that they had chosen a different lie to provide. Janice was confused.

"Actually, we attended a seminar but now we are on vacation!" Chandler told her.

"Yeah, we needed to catch a break from the babies and…"

"Babies?" Janice questioned them.

Chandler glared at Monica, who put her hands on her face in disbelief of her own stupidity.

"Wow, you guys had babies?"

"Did we? Really?" Chandler screamed at his wife, his eyes still wide open.

Monica nodded pathetically, "Yes, last year we adopted twins."

"Wow… congratulations you guys. So, it looks like there WAS some problem with your guys down there, uh Chandler-Bing-a-Ling?"

Janice erupted in an obnoxious laugh in front of them.

"AH AH AH HA AH AH HA HA HA HA AH AH AH AH!"

Monica ignored her sentence and Chandler covered his ears with his hands.

Rachel and Ross chose that moment to walk out of the room hand in hand; they were smiling tenderly at each other.

"Hey, here you ar...JANICE!" Ross shouted.

"Ross!" Janice jumped. "Rachel!"

"Oh my God!" she exclaimed, surprised.

"That's my line!" Janice chuckled. "What are you doing here, are you on vacation too?" she asked.

Chandler and Monica waved their hands behind Janice's back, so Ross and Rachel tried not to answer. However, Janice was faster. She noticed Rachel's ring at once and she realized that all of them were too elegant to be out for a casual dinner.

"Oh…my…God…When Chandler called me last month he said that you two were getting married. This is your engagement ring! Is the wedding here?" she screamed.

Ross and Rachel laughed nervously and Chandler slapped his front twice.

"When Sid told me to go to Hawaii for our family vacation I wouldn't have imagined finding you all guys here for your wedding! This can't be real!" Janice laughed again, making all of them startle.

"And yet somehow is true! _AGAIN_!" Ross shouted.

Joey appeared from the room looking for Chandler, "Chan, it's time for the best man toast! What are you doing here guys—AH!" he screamed, pointing his finger at Janice.

Janice smiled at him, then she kept talking, "Janice must absolutely come to the wedding!"

"Of course, you can't miss it; we invited also seals and sea lions." Chandler replied, scarcastically.

Ross and Rachel looked at each other in fear. What could they tell her? She seemed so happy and willing to come to the ceremony.

Rachel eventually sighed, "Of course you've got to be there!"

"Your invitation must have gotten lost through the mail, we sent it months ago!" Ross exaggerated.

He took a card from his pocket with all the information about the location of the wedding and gave it to her.

Janice was so happy that made one of her incontrollable laughs again.

"I can't believe that tomorrow I'll be a guest to the wedding of the _golden couple_! I'm so excited! Oh, but I do not have a present for you…oh, well, I'm going to sing a song, then! See you tomorrow!"

While Janice walked away, Ross and Rachel opened their eyes wide, "Oh…my…God!" they almost yelled in perfect unison.

"Oh, My…when she looks for the microphone tomorrow, please be sure that the sea lion sings at her place!" Joey asked Chandler in all seriousness.

Chandler stared at his friend with incredulity, and then he waved his hand at him mimicking a scratch movement.

Ross looked very sorry, "I thought we could avoid her this time…"

"Well, it's no Caribbean without a curse. But I must admit I'd rather have Captain Jack Sparrow as uninvited guest to our wedding…" Rachel confessed, smiling.

Ross put his hands around her tiny waist, "Oh, yeah? You'd rather marry Johnny Depp, wouldn't you?" he gave her a soft peck.

"Oh, well…"

The two kissed passionately in front of their friends. Monica just smiled, but Chandler couldn't help himself and coughed, "Uhm…Get a room!"

"Shut up, we are happy." Rachel replied. She gave Ross another kiss, and then she waited for him to stop caressing her cheeks.

"Ok, let's go and make your stupid toast!" Ross said to his brother-in-law.

Rachel and Monica walked away holding each other, but Ross stopped Chandler before he could move on.

"Oh, and Chandler…"

"Yeah?"

"Any mention of the _break_ and I cut you off the wedding."

Joey watched as Ross walked away and patted Chandler's back.

"There's no more respect for the king of sarcasm, I swear."


	17. Vows by the sea

**Hi everybody!**

 **This is the last chapter before the wedding day.**

 **I felt that Ross and Rachel still had one little topic to solve before getting married.**

 **I hope you enjoy it, as usual sorry for any typos and obvious grammar mistakes.**

* * *

"And if any man or woman has reason why these two should not be joined, speak now or forever hold your peace."

Joey's voice sounded calm and soothing.

Ross's smile on the contrary turned into an expression of horror when Rachel began to shake her head with anxiety.

"Rach…what…"

"I'm sorry Ross, I can't do this, I'm so sorry…"

"Rachel?"

"You should have told me the truth about everything…about Emily…"

"How do you know about that – Rachel!"

Ross tried to run after his fiancée, but Rachel was literally dashing off. He tried to reach her, but she seemed farther and farther away.

Ross stopped his frantic run and turned around in time to see Monica exchanging some money with Joey.

"What? I knew she wouldn't go through with the wedding!"

Ross's tears began to stream down his face. His world was turning upside down. When he heard Dr. Green's noxious cackle, he had to put his hands over his ears to protect himself from that pain. Amy and Jill were laughing at him along with their father and soon friends and relatives encircled him and pointed at him, all roaring with laughter.

"Nooooo!"

Ross suddenly woke up. He touched his wet chest and scrutinized his surroundings. He was lying in the bed of his hotel bedroom. Chandler was still sound asleep on the couch; he had not noticed anything.

Ross tried to calm down with slow breaths and remembered that it was the night before his wedding. Rachel was in the next room with Monica, Emma was in Sandra's bedroom. All their close relatives were already there, all peacefully asleep in their bedrooms. In addition, they were waiting for the other guests to arrive the following day.

What was that nightmare about? And why now?

He needed to talk to her.

* * *

Rachel felt someone gently touching her arm and whispering her name in the middle of the night.

"Rachel."

"Mmm…"

"Rach…wake up, honey."

"Mon, it's too soon to get ready, the wedding is at sunset."

Ross smiled to himself, feeling already better after that terrible nightmare.

"Sweetie, it's me. I need to talk to you."

Rachel opened her eyes immediately when she realized that it was Ross's voice calling her.

"What? Something wrong with Emma? Or Ben?" she asked, preoccupied.

Ross sighed, feeling a surge of respect for his future bride, "No, no…I just…I just wanna talk."

Rachel looked at Monica still asleep in her same bed.

"Ross, the bride and the groom aren't supposed to see each other until the ceremony, it's bad luck." She replied with a groggy voice.

"Please." He took her hand and squeezed it.

Rachel felt his urgency, so she smiled at him.

* * *

Ross and Rachel were walking on the sea shore in front of the hotel. It was 4 a.m., so there was nobody out but them.

She was waiting for him to reveal the reason why he had brought her down there.

"Are you going to tell me what happened?"

"I had a nightmare."

Rachel nodded, inviting him to go on.

"We were getting married and…you ran away."

Rachel smiled, "Are you sure that this was your nightmare and not Barry's?"

She tried to make him smile, and she saw a little hint of a curve on his lips, but he still seemed very serious.

"Honey, it was just a dream. I have no intention to run, I promise." She chuckled.

"I know that. That's not why I woke you up…"

"Oh…" Rachel was surprised. "Why then?"

Ross took both her hands, "It would take me a lifetime to explain to you what putting that ring on your finger really means to me."

"I know what you mean. It was hard writing the vows for me too."

"There's so much history between us…"

"I know Ross, but you don't have to explain it all to show me how you fee-"

"Yes, I have to!" he interrupted her. "If nothing else that nightmare made me understand that you deserve to know a few things that I never really explained to you."

"Ok…" she agreed.

Ross sighed and waited a few of seconds. He knew that the things he was going to say would hurt her in many ways.

"The night that we broke up…" Rachel grimaced in surprise when she heard him mention that day among any other "Remember what you said to me when I told you - _this can't be it_?"

Rachel nodded quickly, feeling a couple of tears forming at the corner of her eyes, "I told you, _how come it is_."

Ross nodded too. "You were so sure that we were over, Rach. I was so ashamed of myself, I was…destroyed by what I had done. So, I began to use that stupid excuse of us being on a break because I didn't want you to see how devastated I was. Losing you…" Ross shook his head, "I simply couldn't live like that."

Rachel frowned, still staring at him without uttering a word.

"And then, when I finally decided to try and move on…you realized that you still cared about me..." he caressed her cheek and she closed her eyes.

"I know that statistically your timing was always awful, like saying that you were over me when you were drunk, or balding my girlfriend, but…"

Rachel chuckled between the tears.

"I don't think you actually know how much that night at the sea meant to me, Rach…When you confessed that you still loved me, it was like…waking up after a long cold winter. I came to your room that night because I wanted to start things over so damn much…and if I could go back in time, there would be no letters, nor breaks. I would tell that Ross to go to hell and stop being such an ass, because I was so in love with you. I still can't believe what an idiot I was!"

"Ross…" Rachel tried to speak.

"No, wait, I'm not over yet."

"Ok…" she smiled, wiping away some tears.

"I owe you an explanation for Emily, too."

"No, you don't." she replied, boldly.

"Yes, I do."

Rachel averted her gaze from his eyes, looking at the sea.

"When I was with her, I thought I was a better version of myself. I was funnier; audacious…I thought she was amazing. In the beginning, we had so much fun together, I can't deny that."

Rachel scoffed; she remembered very well the day that Ross had come back from Vermont, confessing how great Emily was.

Ross moved Rachel's face so that she could look at him, "Rachel, that man was just a different version of me trying to become someone else to get over you. I thought _we_ were over; I could not imagine that you were suffering so much for my decision to marry her. I wish you had told me sooner."

Rachel smiled sadly, "Ross, what person is so selfish to ruin her best friend's happiness, above all if she's in love with him?"

"Don't you ever wonder what would have happened had you clearly told me that you still loved me before the wedding?"

Rachel shook her head and put her tiny delicate fingers on his face, "I don't need to. Because even if I never expressed my feelings out loud, I think that you realized everything by yourself."

Ross smiled, " _I, Ross…take thee, Rachel._ "

"Exactly my point." Rachel waved her hand in the air.

"Are you ready to know what really happened with that lapse?" he asked her.

"More than anything. You've always said that it didn't mean anything." She smiled.

"Another example of me being a stubborn pain in the ass."

Rachel laughed along with him.

"Ok, let's go back to the start. I knew I would be missing you in London. Sure, I would miss Phoebe, but she was physically unable to come. I would also miss Ben and Carol, but we had agreed that Ben was too young to make such a long trip only for a couple of days. But when you told me that you wouldn't come…I couldn't stand it, I was so angry at you."

"Ross, I couldn't watch you getting married with someone else, I simply couldn't."

"Yeah, but you said that you had work to do. Even if that was the less convincing lie I've ever heard in my life, I decided to believe it, because I couldn't dig deeper. I didn't want to. God knows, I wish I had."

"I know…"

"Later…when I saw you there, with your brown leather jacket, your straight golden hair, your lovely smile…and those incredible gorgeous blue eyes…I couldn't believe it, I was ecstatic, Rach." Ross said this last sentence and then caressed her face tenderly. Rachel's eyes were shiny for the tears.

"But even if you were smiling on the surface, your eyes were concealing your real feelings. I've always known you better than anyone else, Rachel. I knew there was something else. At first, I decided to ignore it when you said…"

"…Congratulations." She interrupted him.

* * *

 _Ross and Rachel slowly let go from the hug and looked intently at one another._

 _When she wiped away a few tears from her eyes, Ross noticed that gesture._

" _Are you ok?" he asked her._

" _Yeah, just tired for the long trip."_

 _Ross smiled, still holding her left hand._

" _Are you sure you are going to be all right? Don't tell me you're still upset about Joshua?" he wondered, still not convinced._

 _Rachel tried to smile. This was her chance. Ross was asking if she was all right._

 _Did she have the guts to tell him the truth? Or was she supposed to lie only because she didn't want to spoil his wedding day?_

 _Maybe she could demonstrate once last time that she was too selfish to let him go, that she loved him more than anything in this world and that he needed to realize this before making the greatest mistake of his life and marrying a woman he'd known for a few weeks?_

" _Yeah…I don't know…It's just…Sometimes you think that everything has changed forever…but in the end you realize that…it can't be it."_

 _Ross stared at her in astonishment, "What did you just say?"_

 _He recognized the words they both had used the night of their terrible breakup. What was Rachel trying to tell him?_

 _Rachel opened her mouth to answer, when she was interrupted._

" _Rachel!" Monica shouted, appearing behind her brother._

 _Both Ross and Rachel were startled by her arrival. Rachel felt guilty for what she had just said as she hugged her best friend and greeted her._

" _I'm so glad you're here!" Monica told her in a high squeaky voice. "Ross, the guests are coming, I think it's time to start."_

 _Ross smiled back at his sister, shaking his head. He tried to free his mind from any possible thought that wasn't focused on his bride._

" _Right, I'll see you after the wedding, guys. Whish me luck."_

" _Good luck, honey." Monica hugged him again._

" _See ya." Rachel murmured, trying to hold on the tears._

 _Ross felt a lump in his throat and the urge to swallow. He squeezed Rachel's hand one last time and walked past the two of them._

" _So? Did you tell him?" Monica asked Rachel, worried that she might have ruined the wedding._

 _Rachel didn't need to wonder why Monica knew about her intentions. Phoebe had certainly called her for help._

" _At first I couldn't." Rachel shook her head. "But you came right in time to stop me from doing something I would regret."_

 _Monica sighed and held her friend, trying to comfort her._

* * *

"Rachel…when Monica interrupted us…you wanted to tell me?"

"No…I was just being selfish, trying to make you understand how I really felt about you. But Ross, I was sure that you were ready to get married, I wouldn't have said anything else."

"Well, your words did the trick, because from then on, whenever I tried to imagine my bride walking down the aisle, I couldn't picture her as Emily. It was always you."

"What?" Rachel asked, almost shocked.

Ross smiled, almost sorry, "I swear. The first bridesmaid walked towards me, then Joey was talking ridiculously with Phoebe at the telephone…and while he was approaching me, I kept looking at you sitting in front of me, Rach. All I could think about was – _What am I doing? Why is Rachel sitting there? She's the one coming down the aisle in a few minutes, isn't she?_ "

Rachel opened her mouth in disbelief, a silent tear rolling down her cheek, "Why have you never told me this, you…complete…IDIOT?!" she pushed him back with rage.

Ross shook his head, "I never told this ANYONE! I was so ashamed, when Emily showed up in front of me, I couldn't think about anything else but you. The minister was talking and saying Emily's name, and all I heard in my head was yours…I was like in a trance!"

Ross tried to make his point clear by waving his hands in the air from left to right.

"When Emily was speaking, I heard YOUR voice instead! And her face was YOUR face!"

"So, let me get this straight. Was there ever a time that you got married and you weren't drunk or schizophrenic?" Rachel wondered sarcastically.

Ross tried to smile, "Rachel, I'm not telling you this to pick up a fight with you…"

"Then why…why after all this time?"

"I thought it wasn't important before, but the nightmare I had tonight made me realize it was."

Rachel scoffed, "Not important? Ross, do you have any idea how I felt when you married Emily? That woman almost drove us apart forever, she wanted to cut me out of your life! She made you miserable after she noticed that you might still have feelings for me! And after seven years you are finally telling me you kind of realized that you were marrying the wrong woman…and you did it anyway?!"

"Rach…"

"No, Ross, don't _Rach_ me! God, you should have stopped that damned wedding! You said MY name!"

Ross nodded, "Yes, I did. Just think about this, have you ever heard me ONCE telling you or the guys that I regretted doing it?"

"You kept telling Emily that you were sorry!" she shouted back.

"That's what I told HER because I was a coward, not what I really thought! I said your name, it slipped out of my mouth and then…" Ross ran his hands through his hair. "Everything went on in such a hurry…the dinner at her parents' house, Emily running away…Rach, what was I supposed to do? I was in a foreign country, with people hating me for what I had done. I came back to my senses, I believed I was in love with Emily back then. Besides, I had been the one to propose to Emily in the first place, I felt I owed it to her."

Rachel shook her head, "But you told me that it didn't mean anything Ross…you lied to me."

"I didn't know that you still loved me, Rach. That's why I chose to fight for my wedding, I put away all the feelings or whatever the hell it was I felt for you, was that it?"

Rachel nodded, recognizing the words she'd told him the night of their first kiss at Central Perk almost ten years before.

"And you've gotten pretty damn good at it…" They both smiled at the memory, with Rachel caressing Ross's chest. "But you bailed on us, Ross…"

"And THAT is what I am really regretful for." He replied, stroking her hair.

Rachel nodded sadly, now she was calmer than before.

"Why didn't you tell me all of this when I told you that I still loved you back in New York?"

Ross shook his head again, "I honestly don't know. You asked me to forget about it and we both realized that I was _really_ married to Emily at that point. She was feeling humiliated, I thought she deserved better than me asking for a divorce after a few weeks. That was also the time when the idea of getting divorced twice before my thirties became a real torment in my head."

"Yeah. You probably did the right thing by the way. She became the _Wicked Witch of the West_ when she asked you to erase me from your friends list."

"Big mistake. Big. Huge!" Ross chuckled.

Rachel grinned at him, "Ohhh…Someone has been watching _romcoms_!"

"I'd do anything for you. In the end, I got divorced for you, Rach."

"You really ended your wedding because of me?"

"Which wedding?" they both laughed. "Yes, of course I did. It was a matter of trust; Emily was sure that something had happened between you and me. But even if she wasn't right, it didn't matter. She couldn't ask me to live without you, Rach."

Rachel kissed him tenderly and leaned her forehead over his.

"Ross, all the time we have wasted not being together." She complained. "I thought our divorce had been a huge missed opportunity, and later the birth of Emma, but this…oh…you still had feelings for me even when you were with Emily."

"I've always had feelings for you. They never disappeared. You are the only true constant in my life that never faltered, even when we were not together. You are the strongest person I know, you forgave my mistakes and you've always loved me for who I am, warts and all. And we both know we could make a long list of my flaws."

"Big. Huge!" Rachel tried to laugh, but she was too emotional not to cry.

"The night that you got off that plane, you turned me into a better person. Each passing day I'm more and more thankful for having you into my life. Because you are the best part of me. I needed you to know this. I'm going to love you more than anything in this world for the rest of my life."

Rachel was sobbing, with her hands on Ross's face, "Ok, you should have saved something for your vows." she laughed, between the tears.

"This was my vow. Here and now. I know we are getting married tomorrow. But this moment defines who we are….and WE are what really matters."

"So what are you going to say tomorrow?" she asked.

"I'll blabber something about how beautiful and perfect you are, the apple of my eye, how I've loved you since I was 15 and that we were meant to be, making people laugh by saying that we were definitely not on a break. Stuff like that."

Rachel laughed, "Stuff like that, uh?" she pinched him.

"Ouch!"

"Ross…I can't wait to get back home to start our life together as husband and wife, with Emma, Ben and our little baby." She confessed.

"Me too, sweetie."

Rachel moved over to him and embraced Ross in her arms. They stood quiet for a couple of minutes, listening to the sound of the waves breaking on the shore.

"Rach?"

"Mmm?"

"What about _your_ vows?" Ross asked, curious.

"Haven't written a word, I've got to make it up tomorrow." She replied, without moving her head from under his chin. She felt his chest trembling when Ross started to laugh.

"I love you so much."

Rachel lifted her head and contemplated her husband-to-be, "Well, I got off the plane, you know."

Ross smiled tenderly at her, "Always five better words than I love you." they both smiled.

He took her face in his hands and pressed his mouth against hers in a soft lingering kiss that soon became more passionate. Rachel's hands automatically positioned themselves around Ross's waist as they had a thousand times before.

* * *

They didn't know that they weren't secluded anymore, because someone was looking. Their two best friends were watching the couple from a few hundred feet distance.

"You found them?" Chandler asked his wife, a cellphone pressed on his year.

Monica nodded and moved her arm to point at Ross and Rachel, who were still hugging tenderly in front of the ocean.

"Good. Joe, cancel backup, we found them. She didn't run, and Ross isn't trying to kill himself. They sneaked out together." After a couple of seconds, Chandler continued. "No, I won't bring you a sandwich, it's almost 5 in the morning!" he shouted as he ended the call.

Chandler put his arm around Monica's shoulders and observed his two friends, "Maybe we were just worrying too much. They are two grown-ups; you know?"

Monica stared at him with incredulity, "Who, three divorces and run-away-bride?"

Chandler laughed at her, she was mentioning one of the best jokes she ever made and turning it into in an even funnier one.

"You think everything's going to be all right?" Chandler asked her.

Monica thought about her previous conversation with her brother and Rachel.

She nodded with conviction, "Yeah, don't worry. This wedding is going to be perfect."

Monica sighed and walked towards the hotel. Chandler noticed that she was deep in thought.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I'm just a bit annoyed that this ceremony is going to put ours even lower in the final rank."

"Our wedding was awesome, Mon."

"Oh, come on, Phoebe and Mike had snow and Ross and Rachel now have the ocean!"

"All because they had you…" Chandler stroke her cheek.

Monica grinned, "They did have me. I'm the best wedding planner ever!"

"Of course you are, honey."

Chandler smiled, relieved that he had been able to cheer up his wife as usual.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **I know, this chapter was a bit hazardous maybe, but I can't stand the fact that the writers never explained why Ross said Rachel's name at the altar.**

 **They dismissed it with a pointless "it didn't mean anything", which is ABSURD!**

 **I'm pretty sure that deep inside Ross had always feelings for Rachel, that's why he said her name.** **Of course, the flashback memory is something I whish had happened and that might have explained why he had realized he still had those feelings.**

 **I also had an idea about Rachel realizing that Ross had been the one to propose to go to Greece with her to make something happen between them to have an excuse to break off his wedding, and also to reveal his true feelings, but I felt it was a bit too much. When Emily showed up to the airport in London and Ross saw her, he looked genuinely desolated and I think he decided to follow her because he actually thought that he was in love with Emily at that time.**


	18. Parents' Speech

**Hi guys!**

 **The day of the wedding is here. It's going to be a loooong wedding day. :)**

 **Sorry for any typos and obvious grammar mistakes.**

 **I'll try to keep this updated often, but with my Friends Instagram account becoming so popular ( friendsextended) and real life to take care of, it's going to be difficult not to have delays.** ** **I hope you enjoy this!  
****

* * *

 **HONOLULU** **–THE WEDDING DAY**

 **4.00 p.m.**

"Ok, the bride is ready."

Gina had a huge smile on her face. She felt very proud of herself.

She hadn't been a hairstylist in a while, at least not since she'd started working for Bobbie. However, today she felt like she had accomplished something great.

Rachel exited from the bathroom looking like she was coming out of a fairytale.

She was stunning in her wedding dress, and with her hairdo she was even more beautiful.

She had chosen a casual strapless knee size length wedding dress, with a narrow belt of silver beads encircling her waist. The layered A-line skirt was embellished with little sapphire flowers matching the blue roses of the bouquet as much as the white dress matched the white lilies.

Her hair wasn't as long as it used to be when she was younger, for example when she and Ross had got married in Vegas, but Gina had folded it into a loose low chignon and secured it with a few bobbies.

"Oh My God, Rachel, you are wonderful…" Phoebe cried out, immediately tearing up.

"Really?" she asked.

"I think my brother will have a stroke." Monica confirmed.

"Gina, you did a wonderful job!" Alex patted her best friend's back.

"Still the best in the business!" She grinned.

"Thank you so much, Gina." Rachel was very grateful for Joey's sister help.

"Ok, time to go guys. We need to be sure that your brother doesn't do anything stupid." Alex stated.

"Oh, I appreciate that, thank you." Rachel squeezed Alex's hand. The blonde girl smiled at her and exited from the room with Gina.

"Oh, Rachel, you look so beautiful…my little girl, finally getting married…" Sandra had tears in her eyes.

"Mom, are you crying?" Rachel asked, surprised for her mother's behavior.

"Oh, come on, a mother is allowed to get a little emotional for her daughter's big day!"

"But you didn't cry when you saw me wearing my first wedding dress when I was marrying Barry!"

Sandra thought about that day of eleven years before.

"She cried when you ran away, though." Jill interrupted them.

Rachel glared at her sister. Amy snickered, thinking about that huge unexpected accident that had changed her sister's life forever. They often had a good laugh during family's dinners when they re-invoked that day.

"Well…I think we should probably go…"

"Maybe you should." Rachel scolded her sister Jill. "Just be sure that the guests are all comfortable, please."

"That I can do." Jill promised.

"See you out there, sweetie." Sandra kissed Rachel's cheek.

"Oh, and Mom, please check on Emma." Rachel asked.

Rachel, Monica and Phoebe were left alone in the bedroom.

"Where's Emma, by the way?"

"With Carol and Susan, she wanted to spend the morning with Ben. I guessed with two women to take care of her appearance, I can expect her to be the most beautiful girl at the wedding." She smiled lovingly.

"Rach…before leaving, we've got something for you." Phoebe caressed her huge tummy and took a bag that she and Monica had kept hidden behind a chair.

"Wow, presents? Already?"

Monica laughed, "Well…let's say we couldn't forget about an important tradition."

"This…is your something new." Phoebe smiled, taking a package from the bag.

"Wow! So this IS presents time!" Rachel clapped her hands in excitement, taking the bag from Phoebe's hands.

Monica smiled while her best friend opened the first gift. Rachel was not wearing any accessorize yet, and that box contained a bracelet.

"Oh my God…" Rachel murmured.

"It's a white golden bracelet. Look at the pendant."

"The infinite symbol…Something tells me that this isn't from you, guys…"

Phoebe and Monica shared a knowing look and shook their heads, "No, this is Ross's." Phoebe admitted. "It fits, doesn't it?"

Rachel looked at it with the cutest smile on her face, thinking about the wedding ring that was waiting for her, probably already secured inside Chandler's pocket.

"Yeah, it's lovely. Help me?"

Monica helped Rachel putting the bracelet on, and then Phoebe took out the second item.

"Something old."

Phoebe was holding two dried out roses (one red and one orange).

"These are from our weddings bouquets. We kept them until this very day because we thought they may bring you good fortune."

"Oh Pheebs…thank you." Rachel said, touching the flowers with gentleness.

"Ok then, something borrowed." Monica took a necklace from the bag. "I know you love this very much, but I WANT IT BACK!"

Rachel chuckled, "I promise. Thank you honey." Monica helped her to wear her silver necklace.

"Finally, this is your something blue." Phoebe concluded. "For a wedding by the sea, you can't miss a pair of blue earrings."

Rachel opened the last box revealing a couple of blue pearl earrings.

"Oh my God, guys! You are crazy!"

"You won't exchange them?" Monica asked.

"Are you kidding? These are gorgeous…Thank you. I love you both so much. And I'm so glad that you are here with me, today."

The three of them held each other, all crying happy tears.

At that moment, Judy Geller peeped out from behind the door.

"Rachel? Can I come in?"

"Of course…" she sniffed. "We are almost ready to leave."

"I'm gonna take off, Mike and I will check on the band to be sure that everything's ok with the music."

"Thanks, Phoebe."

"I'm going to freshen up a bit…fortunately, Gina used waterproof make up!" Monica noticed.

Monica walked to the bathroom and Judy looked silently at Rachel, smiling for her lovely attire.

"Rachel…" Judy took her hands. "You look like a floating angel."

Rachel sighed. Judy was the first one saying this to her, like she had always wanted to hear.

"Thank you…" she embraced her.

"I'm so happy for you, guys. You and Ross, finally getting married. I've been waiting for this day since you first got together ten years ago."

"Really?" Rachel smiled, tenderly.

"Well…when he was young, I kind of knew that Ross had a crush on you. I remember the night of your prom, when you and Monica were waiting for your boyfriends…"

Rachel felt her heart beating faster when she heard Judy mentioning one of the fondest memories she had of her relationship with Ross.

"…when Chip Matthews didn't show up, at first Jack and I tried to convince Ross to take you to the prom."

Rachel felt tears forming at the corner of her eyes.

"Ross was so sad when he saw you get away with Chip, instead. He was so shocked, that he stopped talking. He went upstairs, took off Jack's tux and didn't speak for two days. Monica never realized why he was so bummed up."

Rachel squeezed her eyes, "Monica never knew that Ross had feelings for me?"

Judy shook her head, "I think she suspected on some levels, but Ross concealed it very well. Monica was mostly unaware, she noticed that Ross was geeky and shy whenever you came home, but she thought he was like that around any other girl."

Rachel chuckled, "Me too."

"Sweetheart, I always hoped that you too got together. When it finally happened, Jack and I were so thankful. Then you and Ross broke up and it was really hard, I was afraid he would never find love again."

"Oh, Judy…" Rachel squeezed her hand.

"You've got to know…when he got engaged with that English witch…" They both smiled. "We were happy, of course, but it wasn't the same. We had never the courage to tell Ross that we thought he was rushing things. When he said your name at the altar, it wasn't such a surprise. We wondered whether it was our fault, if we were bad parents…but as his mother, I knew that Ross was just showing his true feelings for you."

"You probably understand that sooner than I did!" Rachel noticed. "I never thought that you supported us so much…not until Ross told me that when Emma was born you brought him your mother's engagement ring."

Meanwhile, Monica slightly opened the door, but when she noticed her mother and Rachel involved in a deep conversation, she decided not to interrupt them and she started listening to them.

"I was really hoping that Ross would ask you to marry him."

"It wasn't the right time, Judy. I know you really wanted us to get back together sooner, but you must admit…that we are finally getting our happy ending." She smiled.

"Yeah, you're right." Judy smiled.

Judy was almost leaving, but Rachel stopped her. "Judy, may I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"You know how much I love Monica. I mean, I love my sisters in a conventional way, but as you can see, none of them is my maid of honor. Monica is the sister I never had, and so is Phoebe. I've got to know this. Why have you always loved Ross more than Monica?"

Monica silently thanked Rachel for asking such a hard question to her mother. She really wanted to hear her answer.

Judy sighed. "You know, Ross asked me something like that a few times, but not so frankly. Truth is, I always had a harsh attitude towards my daughter because that's how my mother dealt with me. She taught me competitiveness, ambition. My life was never easy. I think that sometimes I preferred Ross because he was my first son, or maybe because he was a boy."

Rachel tried to put herself in Judy's shoes and so did Monica. Weren't there moments in which she enjoyed spending more time with Jack? Was she becoming like her mother? Or maybe that was just a common behavior between mothers and sons?

"I know that Monica felt I was…kind of aloof. But she was my girl, I expected so much from her growing up. You think she had a hard time dealing with me?"

Rachel shrugged dramatically, "Well..."

"I hope she knows that I love her just as much as I love Ross. I'm proud of her, she's my daughter, she's accomplished so much in life!"

Rachel smiled, "She's amazing. I don't know what I would have done without her."

Monica smiled to herself, secretly glad that she was eavesdropping that conversation.

"Yeah…and I'm trying to make amends, you know? Being there for the twins, spending more time with her and Chandler…"

"I think she's happy for that. But you should tell her how you feel."

"It's not easy." Judy confessed.

"I know; I don't think it's easy talking with my parents either. But you want a suggestion? Try more. Monica loves you and Jack, she deserves to know how much important and special she really is to you."

Judy's lips turned into a soft smile, "I'll try. Thank you, Rachel."

Monica mentally thanked her best friend, too.

"And please, let me tell you that today more than ever I'm feeling like I really had two daughters. You've always been like Monica's sister; the third child of the Geller family."

"Oh, Judy…I was so spoiled and shallow back then, a young cheerleader going out with the most popular guys in high school!"

Judy took her hands again, "You were so much more than that. You've always been Monica's best friend, even when she was bullied for her weight. It never mattered to you if you were popular and she wasn't, if she had attended a fat camp as a child and nobody really appreciated her. I was so grateful for that. Today Jack and I are going to see our son getting married…but also our _daughter_."

Rachel was crying now, so Judy wiped her tears away. She also caressed her belly.

"We are happy for Ross, but also for you. And let's be honest, this wedding erases all the previous ones."

"Like a _Day-Zero_?" Rachel asked, chuckling. "Oh, my…Thank you again, Gina, for using water proof make up!" she sighed.

"Well, mine is not. So I'm gonna take off. Jack was waiting with the twins; we'd better call a taxi and leave."

"Thank you, Judy, for everything."

Rachel waited for the woman to get out and watched her best friend coming out of the bathroom. She looked at Monica askance.

"How much do you love me today?"

Monica's eyes were still red for the tears, "So much that I want to convince you to run away and marry me instead of my brother."

"That WOULD cause him a stroke." Rachel commented, hugging Monica.

* * *

"Ok, the band is ready and most of your family is here."

"Thanks, Mike."

Ross and Chandler were waiting in the courtyard of the restaurant, which was close to the location of the wedding.

"Phoebe and Monica?" Chandler asked.

"Phoebe's just arrived; Monica is coming later with Rachel. Sandra got here with Jill and Amy."

"How's Emma doing?"

"She's great; she's playing on the beach with Ben." Mike explained.

Ross grimaced, "Monica won't be happy if she covers the carpet with sand when she walks down the aisle."

Chandler smiled, "I'll tell her that it's all wedding themed."

Ross smiled, "Man, you're so good in changing my sister's mind. You are a genius."

"You have no idea." Chandler chuckled.

"Ok, let's keep this thing going. Where's Joey?"

At that moment, their best friend showed up from behind a palm tree.

"Were you looking for me?"

"Yeah, tell me again what your speech is about." Ross asked.

"Ross, come on, I swear, I studied everything this time, would you stop worrying?"

"Joey, I just don't want you to say anything stupid about my relationship with Rachel, ok? We've done enough crazy things in our lives."

"Could that BE more true?" Chandler wondered.

"But…I got to talk about the divorce, at least?"

Ross's stare could have killed him.

"The break? The list? The letter? Emma's birth? What about me?" Joey joked, winking at Chandler and moving his elbow to urge his best friend; Chandler just shook his head when he noticed Ross's disappointment.

Ross glared at them both, "I'm serious guys, I'll let you free with your toasts after the ceremony, but please, just try and behave normally now. Ok?"

"Ok, Ross, I was kidding. I have everything under control, I promise." Joey said.

"And hey, Ross. Just remember, when Joey asks you to repeat after him, _I, Ross, take thee, RACHEL_ …please, don't forget what you told us about the crazy things."

Ross scoffed, "Don't worry; if I said her name when I was marrying someone else, there's no way I wouldn't say it today."

Chandler and Joey laughed along with Ross and patted him on the shoulders.

"So, I guess this is it, man. You guys are getting married. For real!" Joey was incredibly happy and thrilled.

"I know. I've been waiting for this day for half of my life." Ross confessed.

"So did we." Chandler grumbled.

"Do you mind if I cut in?"

The three friends turned around. Leonard Green was looking at them with a weird expression on his face. They all immediately lost their smiles.

"Good luck, bud." Chandler whispered so that only Ross could hear him.

Leonard Green walked towards Ross and examined his appearance. Monica had chosen three very casual dresses for him and the best men. Ross was wearing a very sophisticated white shirt with a blue rose and a pair of khaki linen trousers. He was definitely masculine and charming, with a perfect attire for a wedding by the sea.

Leonard took the rose with his fingers and adjusted its position on Ross's shirt.

"Well, Geller, I must say I never thought that Rachel would actually agree to marry you, in the end."

"Well, how sweet, thank you." Ross complained.

Leonard smiled and slapped him playfully on the cheek. "Don't screw it."

Ross nodded with respect, "I won't." His tone was low and solemn.

Leonard walked away, but Ross stopped him. He'd been dying for years to know something and this was his chance to find out. He was alone with Leonard Green; he might never have another opportunity like this.

"Dr. Green!"

"What?"

"You remember that night that you came to my house and met my girlfriend, Mona?"

Leonard sighed, "I try not to think about it, _Ross_."

Ross put a hand on his mouth, "I'm sorry" he replied, nervous, "What I meant is…that night…you accused me of dumping Rachel."

"Yeah."

"Why did you think I dumped her?"

"Because that's what Rachel told me." Leonard answered.

"What?" Ross asked, shocked.

"She never really explained what happened, she said that you dumped her because you didn't love her anymore."

Ross couldn't believe what he'd just heard.

Another example of how perfect Rachel was. She had never told her father that he'd cheated on her. Ross smiled to himself, trying to figure out the reason why. Maybe she wanted to defend the troubled relationship that the two men already had. She had made up an excuse with Leonard not to make him dislike Ross more than he already did. And Ross didn't need to ask to figure out why. Because she still had hopes for them to get back together, even back then.

Yet, Ross felt that this wasn't fair to Rachel. He loved her so much that her father deserved to know the truth before giving her away.

"Dr. Green, I'm sorry, but I need to confess you something, and you won't like it. The reason Rachel and I broke up back then…"

"Yes?"

"Well, there's no easy way to say it. I cheated on her."

Leonard was flabbergasted.

"I know this is terrible and you probably don't want to hear it today, but I think you need to know the truth. Our previous relationship was difficult and precarious. When I started to distrust her, I made the biggest mistake of my life, a betrayal that I will always regret. But I never stopped loving your daughter, ever."

Leonard nodded with a contrite expression on his face, still out of words.

"Later on, Rachel found it in her heart to forgive me. She is the strongest woman I know; I can't even begin to explain to you how much I love her. I know that you are going to think even less of me now, but at least you know the truth. Perhaps Rachel will tell you more about it."

Leonard shook his head. "I don't need to hear anything else. That's all way in the past now. You guys moved on, and I must admit, I've never seen Rachel happier than she is since you got back together last year."

Ross nodded in approbation.

"Anyway, thank you for your honesty, Geller. I bet this wasn't easy."

Ross looked down at his wet hands, "No, no…this was…uhm…am I fainting?"

Seeing Ross's pale look, Leonard slowly took his left wrist between his fingers to check his pulse.

"You know, Ross, I never really liked you in the beginning, with your jelly hair and your weird sense of humor. When you guys had Emma and you weren't even together as a couple, I liked you even less."

"Good to know that our second baby will be born with two married parents." Ross joked.

Leonard ignored him, "Then you and Rachel came visiting me the day I had the heart attack. And even if you behaved like a perfect idiot…I saw you two kids together and I realized that my daughter wasn't much smarter than you."

"What do you mean?"

Feeling Ross's pulse getting back to normal, Leonard let his hand go.

"Come on, she has two sisters, two best girlfriends and a roommate, but when she needs somebody to rely on after her father has a myocardial infarction, who does she go to? Her former cheating boyfriend?"

Ross smiled for the irony of the situation. Even Rachel's father had understood the strength of their relationship before them.

"You two have been acting like crazy for years, this is what should have happened years ago, even if I'm not your greatest fan."

"Thank you, Dr. Green. So, we are…good about what I told you before?"

"Hey, I know that people make mistakes. Sometimes a break up is what two persons need. They stay away from each other and realize that they can't live apart. It's much better than be together in a marriage without love to try to save a sinking ship until you are obliged to get a divorce."

"Is…Is that what happened with you and Sandra?" Ross asked, carefully.

Leonard nodded and sighed, "You'd better ask what _didn't_ happen between me and Sandra."

"Do you regret it?" Leonard stared at him with stern. Ross kept talking, "The divorce, I mean?"

"Well, I'm not an example of perfection. My wife left me because I wasn't a good husband. That's why I won't judge you for you past mistakes, Geller."

Ross nodded, finally convinced that Leonard had still feelings for Sandra.

"But as a father, I ask you to respect Rachel and to love her, no matter what. Don't leave her anymore. And please, try growing your children with care and dedication."

Ross nodded solemnly.

"Though, I have the feeling that you don't need this particular recommendation, because I look at Emma and I see that you are a good father to her. I have no doubt about it."

Ross smiled for the first time in his life for a compliment that Dr. Green had addressed to him.

Leonard moved away from him, "Ok, I'm going to get Rachel. See you at the altar."

Ross was so delighted that he wanted to scream.

"You betcha."


	19. True perfection has to be imperfect

**HONOLULU** **–THE WEDDING DAY**

 **5.00 p.m.**

"Oh My God, who the hell is that?" Gina asked Joey.

"That is…Russ."

"And who is he? Some kind of…Ross's cousin? Better, a lost twin?" Michael wondered.

"Nope. He's no relative at all." Chandler explained. "Uncanny resemblance, uh?"

"Yah-ah!" Gina yelled.

"Don't tell Ross, he hates it when you compare him to that guy." Joey warned his friends.

"Why?" Alex nervously questioned them.

"He dated Rachel for a while." Chandler concluded with a nod.

"Got it."

All the guests nodded in comprehension.

"Hey, Julie!" Chandler headed off to greet Ross's former girlfriend.

* * *

Joey had instead noticed Charlie arriving; she was walking not far from them, stunning as usual, with a short white dress and a blue sweater.

When Charlie caught sight of him among the crowd, she made a huge grin.

"Joey…"

"Charlie…"

They hugged tenderly, trying to convey all kind of emotions in that gesture.

"How great is this?" Charlie asked him in a whisper.

"Huge." Joey answered. "And I'm the minister, I'll be officiating."

"I know, Ross and Rachel told me. Tell me the truth. Are you really FIIINE?"

Joey burst out laughing and so did Charlie, with Benjamin who couldn't help but wonder what that conversation was about.

"So, how do you two know each other?" he asked.

"Well, Joey is the only non-paleontologist I've ever slept with." Charlie admitted.

Joey nodded at Benjamin Hobart with conviction and pride, while Charlie observed the two men shaking hands.

"And I was sure that the groom was her only ex-boyfriend at this wedding." He chuckled. "Are you a scientist, too?"

Joey started laughing even louder than before and pointed his finger at Benjamin, "He's funny, Charlie!"

When Joey walked away, Charlie sighed and looked at Benji, "I told you, Ross's friends are a little weird."

"More than Ross?"

Charlie thought about it for a second. "Well, Joey is like a man child. You'd enjoy studying his grade of evolution." She concluded with a shrewd smile.

Benjamin rapidly turned his head looking for Joey through the crowd, suddenly more intrigued by him.

* * *

"Gunther! You made it!" Phoebe screamed, running towards her favorite acquaintance, who was looking as if he was attending a funeral more than a wedding.

"Yeah…I still can't believe Rachel is getting married, though."

"Not over her yet, uh?" she asked him.

Gunther shook his head. "Tell me, is she beautiful"? He wondered, with his eyes and face suddenly lightened up with joy.

Phoebe fought a battle with herself, unsure whether she should tell him or not how wonderful Rachel actually looked.

"You've got to wait and see for yourself." She said in the end.

* * *

"Chandleeeeeer!"

"Oh God…"

Chandler turned around in time to see his worst nightmare showing up in front of himself.

"Janice!" he screamed. "Hi Sid!" he shook hands with Janice's husband, who still looked like one of the friendliest unfortunate men he'd ever set eyes on.

"I wouldn't have missed this for anything! Where is the bride? Not running again, is she? AH AH AH AH AH AH AH AH AH AH AH AH!"

Chandler put his hands on his years, noticing that many guests were watching Janice with dread.

"No…she's arriving in a few minutes with her father and Monica. Janice, can I ask you something for the other guests' safety?"

"What?" she smiled.

"Please, don't laugh until it's over."

"Okie-Dokie…"

She erupted in another nasal laugh and waved goodbye to Chandler, who shook his head in response. Yet, as he walked away from her, he couldn't help but smile, feeling that Janice being there felt right, in some weird way.

* * *

"Sam, is everything fixed?"

"Ready to start, Phoebe." The young singer replied.

"Good. I'm so curious to hear you, guys." Phoebe smiled at the family of musicians.

"Me too. Even if I'm pretty sure that all the attention during the ceremony will be focused on the bride, you know." Mike remarked.

"Oh, that is such a cliché. Why don't we focus on the matron of honor for once?" Phoebe grinned at her husband. The three sisters laughed at her statement while they fluffed up their typical 50s gowns.

* * *

"Hi Mom! Dad…" Chandler greeted his parents' arrival with an uncertain smile on his face.

He'd been surprised to find out that Ross and Rachel had decided to invite the Bings and the Tribbianis to the wedding, but they had insisted that they were part of the _family_ , too.

"Hello, son." Nora welcomed Chandler into her arms, watching Charles doing the same a few seconds later.

"So, you shared a cab, uh?"

"Yeah, Nora was so kind to pay for the ride." Charles explained.

Chandler couldn't help but notice that his father's dress was shorter and much revealing than his mother's.

"Only because you forgot the purse with your wallet, _sweetheart_. Of course, had you worn pants like all the men of your age do, maybe you would have had it in your pocket."

Chandler grinned for his mother's joke. He left his parents on their own; Nora and Charles were very capable to handle one another.

* * *

"Aunt Phoebe!"

"Hey kids!"

Phoebe looked at the three seven-years-old children running towards her.

Chandler, Leslie and Frank Jr. Jr. anticipated the arrival of their parents; Frank and Alice were both smiling behind the triplets.

Phoebe held her nephew and nieces, "I'm so happy to see you guys!"

"We are honored to be here." Alice commented politely.

The kids had already run away to play along the seashore.

"Yeah, we couldn't miss a free weekend to Hawaii, how cool is this?" Frank chuckled. "Are Rachel and Ross that rich?"

Phoebe smiled at her brother's comment, "Rachel's father is paying for the guests' tickets and hotel rooms."

"That's why you need fathers at weddings." Frank remarkably noticed, remembering his wedding at the courthouse.

Phoebe nodded, "Yeah, for that and…you know, to walk you down the aisle."

"Who walked you?" Alice asked.

"Chandler."

"Oh." Frank was really surprised. "I would have thought Joey was the next best thing."

"Yeah, I asked him, he had to officiate though, because the minister was snowed in."

"Just like us." Alice remembered. She still felt very sorry for the fact that she and Frank hadn't been able to attend Phoebe's wedding because of that terrible snow storm.

Phoebe stroked her arm, "I showed you the pictures."

Frank chuckled, "That dog was hibernated!"

* * *

"Ma! Pa!" Gina cried, running towards her parents.

After a tender reunion between parents and daughter, Joseph and Gloria looked for Joey.

"Where is your brother? Busy reviewing his speech?"

"Ma, you know Joey. He's probably eating something before the ceremony." Gina stated with a cunning look in her eyes.

"Mommy!" Joey shouted as soon as he saw his parents.

"Joey! My big star making big in Los Angeles! I've missed you so much!" Gloria held her son.

"Ma, Gina and Michael live there, too." Joey replied.

"I have six other daughters at home but only one boy living in another country!"

Joey and Gina shared a look and nodded in agreement.

* * *

Rachel had kept Monica's hand in hers for the whole journey from the hotel to the location.

Leonard was sitting in the passenger's seat next to the driver; he had been silent for the majority of their trip. Monica was looking for signs of tension or fear in her friend's eyes, but she couldn't find any. Rachel was content and peaceful; her mood was mirrored in the outside weather of that lovely sunny day of July. Monica had never seen such a blue sky; there wasn't a single cloud in sight. The sea was calm and almost quiet.

When the car halted as it arrived to the beach, the two friends got out of it with Leonard's help.

Monica looked around and sniffed the perfume. The air was filled with roses and lilies smell.

"Everything feels perfect." She told Rachel.

She nodded, "It really does."

"Well, here we go. I'm going to check that everything's ready, then I'll get the girls. You just go and wait for us."

Rachel smiled, looking at her with teary eyes, "Ok. I'll see you in a few minutes."

Monica grinned again, "Yeah." She almost walked away, then she suddenly turned around and hugged her again.

"Remember what I told you when I thought I was leaving for Paris?" Rachel asked her.

"Yes." Monica whispered with her face still leaned on her friend's shoulder.

"I meant every single word. None of the amazing things that have happened to me would have happened if it wasn't for you. I love you so much."

Monica stared at her with another sweet smile, "Even if today you are going to marry my geeky older brother…because of me?"

Rachel chuckled, "In spite of that, yeah."

Monica laughed along with her, "I'm so proud of you guys. This is the happily ever after that the whole _Ross and Rachel saga_ truly deserves."

"Yeah…But please, go now, I don't want to be late." Rachel urged her.

"Oh my God…you already _are_ a Geller!"

Leonard had been incapable of talking during that whole exchange, astonished for the incredible bond that existed between these two girls that had grown up together.

He'd never really understood the importance of the Geller family in her daughter's life until the last couple of days. Now he did.

Rachel turned around to look at him and he finally managed to utter some words, "You are so beautiful Rachel. Your grandmother would be so proud of you."

Rachel felt a pang in her heart at the mentioning of her beloved grannie who had died the year before.

"You look very happy."

Rachel nodded in satisfaction, "I really am, dad. I'm surrounded by people that I love and this wasn't happening the day that I was marrying Barry."

"You don't need to justify, Rachel. Not anymore. It's been a long time. I think I finally understand what you were trying to say when you called me blabbering something about wanting to be a purse or a hat."

Rachel grinned at her father's memory and walked towards him for a hug.

Leonard kissed his daughter's forehead and caressed her arms.

"So, are you finally accepting Ross into our family?" she wondered, hopeful.

Leonard grimaced, "Don't rush it, _sweetpea_."

They both started laughing.

* * *

Ross and Chandler were standing with Joey at the end of the made up aisle. All the guests were sitting in front of them. Relatives, friends, colleagues.

Members of the Geller family occupied mostly the first rows: Ross and Monica's cousins Cassie, Frannie, and Nathan, who apparently still thought he was a man trapped in a woman's body, seeing that he was wearing female clothes. Sitting at his side, there were Aunt Iris, Aunts Lillian and Liddy.

Frannie's mom, Aunt Cheryl, was sitting with Aunt Marilyin (Cassie's mom), who still looked at least as much beautiful as her daughter.

Aunt Millie had already kissed Joey and Chandler, but Ross had managed to escape her clutches (for the moment). She was waiting for the bride to arrive with Aunt Lisa.

Aunt Freddie, who was on his own since Aunt Sylvia's death, was chatting amiably with Uncle Dan and Uncle Murray.

On the other half of the chairs, there were Rachel's sisters and Sandra in the front row and Ross's parents – entrusted with Jack and Erica's stroller.

Carol and Susan were sitting with Ben and Emma. Carol was ready to accompany the little girl at the beginning of the ceremony, seeing that she was the flower girl.

Behind the family, many friends coming from a lifetime of connections and bonds: Janice and Sid with their kids, Gunther, Julie and Russ, Charlie and Benji, Chandler and Joey's parents, Frank Jr. and Alice with the triplets.

Rachel's colleagues from Prada (Lillian, Gavin and his girlfriend Lara); Ross's colleagues from the University (Dr. Stevenson and Dr. Williams).

Last but not least, Will Colbert, still gorgeous as a cherub, was being pointed at from many girls among the crowd; Ross had also invited his former college classmates and members of the band – Paul, Brian and Larry.

* * *

There were dozens of people in front of him, but at that moment, Ross wasn't seeing anyone. He was in a bubble, waiting for Rachel to arrive. The only thing he could think about was that he was looking forward to see her.

That was the reason why his smile grew even more when he finally caught a glimpse of his sister approaching him from the end of the aisle. That was certainly the happiest expression anyone had ever seen on his face.

Monica was smiling too. "So, everything's ready?" she asked, looking at Chandler and Joey.

"Just waiting for the lady to arrive." Chandler quipped.

Monica took Ross's hands, "Are YOU ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." He replied.

Monica kissed his cheek and the two siblings held each other tenderly. Judy and Jack smiled for that lovely moment between the siblings and Chandler felt tears starting to form at the corner of his eyes. ' _Not yet!_ ' he thought.

"Phoebe, shall we go?" Monica called her friend, who was still chatting with the band and Mike.

"Oh, of course! Guys it's time, you may start playing!" Phoebe told Sam.

As the singer gave her a thumb up, Phoebe followed Monica.

"Amy, Jill, let's go. Carol?"

"Coming!" Ross's ex-wife said, taking the flower basket in one hand and Emma's tiny little hand in the other, asking the little girl to follow her. Emma shrieked, looking forward to see her mother with the wedding dress.

Ross, Chandler and Joey watched the parade of those wonderful women disappearing behind a high floral arc made of blue roses and white lilies. Mike walked towards the groom and smiled at him, "Good luck, buddy. I have a feeling this could be the last."

Ross chuckled, "Thank you, Mike."

Then he took his place in the second row at Judy's side.

* * *

"Oh my God, Rachel! Aren't you beautiful?" Carol almost sighed at her sight.

"Oh…Thank you, Carol! Coming from you, that really is a compliment!"

Carol chuckled, blushing a little bit.

"And thank you for divorcing Ross, by the way."

All the women laughed out loud for Rachel's pleasant joke.

"Emma, you are so beautiful honey! Aunt Carol and Susan did such a good job with you!" Rachel hugged her daughter who was looking as beautiful as she was, wearing a lovely white dress with a blue belt.

"Thank you, mommy."

"Gotta go. Good luck!" Carol said goodbye.

"Thank you." Rachel mouthed.

"Ok, Rachel. Phoebe and I are going first with Emma. Jill and Amy, start walking after us. Remember to sit right…"

"Next to our parents, we got it!" Jill stopped Monica.

Rachel laughed when she noticed Monica's annoyed face.

"Fine, let's go!" Monica yelled.

* * *

In the meantime, the band had started to play to entertain the guests. Rachel recognized the background song as an acoustic version of _Better Man_.

She remembered distinctly the day that Ross had given a mixed tape to her, which contained a bunch of songs released in 1993 and 1994. Many of them were songs by _Pearl Jam_ , which was one of the reasons why they both loved the famous band so much.

Ross had given her the tape with a written note.

 _You shouldn't think about the past in anger. Just forget it and remember how great you are._

Rachel had loved every single song in it. All the lyrics were meaningful.

 _Better Man_ , for example, was about a woman trapped in a bad relationship.

Ross was evidently trying to make her understand that she had done the right thing leaving Barry at the altar.

 **[ watch?v=hbpUfWz-rlc]**

 _She lies and says she's in love with him,_

 _can't find a better man_

 _She dreams in color, she dreams in red,_

 _can't find a better man_

"Rachel?" Jill murmured, calling Rachel out of her reveries.

Monica and Phoebe were already gone.

"What?" she asked.

"There's something I need you to know..."

"What is it?" Rachel wondered.

"Ross gave me the best kiss I've ever had."

Rachel was stunned for a couple of seconds; she was trying to place her sister's words.

Then she burst out laughing.

"Hey, mine too!" Amy added.

"What?! You never kissed Ross!" Rachel complained.

"Of course I did, remember the day I bought that falafel from him?" Amy confessed.

Rachel stared from one sister to the other and kept chuckling with incredulity. They were weird and crazy, but oh, she loved them.

"Come here, you two!" she finally said.

The three of them hugged for a few seconds, and then Rachel let them go.

"I know we don't often behave like real sisters, but I'm glad you're both here with me today. This means a lot to me and Ross."

"I know…" Amy realized. "And I hate to admit it, but you look really wonderful, Rachel."

"Oh, thank you, Amy!"

Jill kept her arms crossed over her chest, the idyllic moment already over.

"Jill?" Rachel asked her.

"Whatever!" she replied.

Rachel smiled, watching her two sisters walking down the aisle.

It was finally time for her father to join her.

"They are waiting for us." He said to her.

Her blue eyes were sparkling when she answered, "Let's go."

* * *

Rachel emerged from behind the arc of flowers as a lovely creature coming out of one of Ross's best dreams. Her appearance suddenly reminded him of their former conversation.

" _If you think I look perfect today, I can't wait to hear what you're going to say tomorrow when you see me in a certain dress, honey."_

" _God, it's true! But could you BE more perfect than this?"_

And perfect she was, indeed.

As soon as they saw her ready to walk down the aisle, the musicians started to play a new song, something that Ross had intentionally asked to surprise her.

Rachel heard the tune and recognized the song as _Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town_.

Pearl Jam, again, just as Ross had requested.

Another instrumental version, but significant nonetheless.

She remembered listening to this very song in every moment of her relationship with Ross: while they were together, after breaking up with him, when he was in London to get married, when she was pregnant and finally after getting back together.

 **[ watch?v=g0pzDAd6TNw]**

 _My God it's been so long_

 _Never dreamed you'd return_

 _But now here you are, and here I am_

 _Hearts and thoughts they fade away_

Rachel had been sure that when she would find herself walking down the aisle towards Ross, her whole life would flash in front of her eyes like in a movie.

Instead, her mind wasn't focused on the past, only on the present.

Here she was, approaching a milestone that would change her life forever. However, she wasn't afraid, only eager to reach the man that was waiting for her at the end of that journey.

Better, the man that had always been waiting for her.

And judging from the expression on Ross's face, the adult rational scholar had totally disappeared to leave place to the romantic emotional nerd that had met Rachel a couple of decades before.

Ross joined all the relatives and friends in a gasp of astonishment when he realized that Rachel, the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on, was going to marry him. It had taken years, heartbreaks, divorces, ex-boyfriends and girlfriends, pregnancies and flights all over the world, but everything had leaded them to this very day.

 _I swear I recognize your breath_

 _Memories like fingerprints are slowly raising_

Ross, in contrast to Rachel, kept recollecting memories about her. About _them_.

The first day he had met her when they were only kids.

The faithful day when she had dashed away from her wedding to reappear into his life.

The inner turmoil provoked by their first real kiss at Central Perk and the huge wave of emotions he had felt when she was watching the prom video.

As soon as he thought about that videotape, he smiled to himself, thinking about the night that they had spent together resulting in the conception of their wonderful daughter.

Emma, who had been just wonderful a few minutes before, dropping flowers all over the carpet with Monica's help. At the end of her task, she had run towards her father to hold him and Ross had felt the luckiest man in the whole world.

And now, Rachel was approaching him, even more beautiful than he thought she would be.

Chandler and Monica glanced at each other, both secretly remembering the day of their wedding. They knew very well how Ross and Rachel felt.

However, they could not deny the truth: this day was even more important to all of them, because nobody deserved closure as much as these two _unfortunate_ lovers did.

Dr. Green and Rachel stopped in front of Ross and Joey, who was grinning in the cutest possible way, already emotional. Leonard kissed his daughter's cheek and shared a knowing look with Ross, who nodded in answer.

Rachel gazed lovingly at her father, she gave her bouquet to Monica and then she fixed her eyes on Ross, who took her hands in his.

"So?" she asked him, incapable to wait for a feedback.

"Floating angel, indeed."

Rachel giggled and, without letting go of each other's hands, they both turned their eyes to Joey, who was moving his head from one friend to the other.

He nodded in admiration, still grinning like an idiot. Rachel had never looked happier and Ross was ecstatic.

As they waited for the song to end, Joey leaned his head and spoke with a low voice so that only the six of them could hear him.

"I told you that you weren't just _anybody_ to her."

 _Hearts and thoughts they fade away_

 _Hearts and thoughts they fade away_

Ross nodded and smile at the memory of one of his former conversation with Joey.

"Of course not, he's her lobster!" Phoebe interrupted them.

Ross and Chandler looked at each other and all the six of them shared a well-deserved laugh together.

* * *

As Sam concluded the song and stopped playing, Joey started his speech.

"Friends, family. Thank you all for being here. I'm sure none of you is regretting being in Hawaii for the weekend, uh?"

Michal, Gina and Alex chuckled silently, sitting together in one of the benches.

"The reason we are all gathered here today is to celebrate the union of Ross and Rachel…in holy matrimony. About time too!"

Ross squeezed Rachel's hands a bit tighter, still too emotional to speak.

"You know, when Ross and Rachel first got together, we all thought they were meant for each other, because there had never been a man on this Earth who has ever loved Rachel more than Ross – "

Dr. Green's annoyed cough filled the air.

"Romantically, of course." Joey corrected himself while Rachel took a glimpse of her father, who winked at her.

"As for Rachel, she reciprocated Ross's affection in every possible way. You could totally say that soon they would get married."

Monica and Ross shared a look with a surprised expression on their faces; they were both thinking that Joey might have really taken his part seriously, this time.

"But as you probably already know, things got in the way. These two souls lost their way and started travelling across two different paths, always in parallel, but never intersecting."

Rachel's eyes grew comically wide for Joey's choice of words and Ross almost laughed for her reaction. Monica and Phoebe were astonished and Chandler was incredulous.

"Until, one day…"

Ross and Rachel smiled at each other and turned their heads towards Emma, who was sitting right next to Ben.

"A very old condom and too many glasses of wine…"

Rachel grimaced and Ross shook his head, "There it is…" he whispered to Rachel, who nodded afraid of where Joey's speech was headed to.

Carol put her hands over Ben's ears while Susan was bursting out laughing.

"…were the beginning of a wonderful journey…towards the birth of their lovely daughter, Emma."

All the eyes of the guests rapidly looked for Emma among the crowd.

"Now, I want to be very clear on this point." Joey addressed directly the guests. "If it hadn't been for some crazy guy that made a disaster at the hospital, these two would have gotten together right after Emma was born."

Ross's lips turned into a smile; unexpectedly he was enjoying Joey's words immensely.

"And after that, well…there was some other little…bump in the way…but Ross and Rachel were always like two magnets. Attracting each other until they eventually collide."

Chandler could not hold it anymore, "Oh, come on, these can't be _your_ words!"

Everybody turned to look at Chandler.

"As my good friend Chandler just observed, maybe I'm borrowing lines from a romantic comedy script that I've recently read."

"Thank you!" Chandler waved his hand, exasperated.

"Nonetheless" Joey kept talking in a solemn tone. "When I read it, I immediately thought that it was perfect for them. When I think about Ross and Rachel as a couple, words like love and passion come to my mind. And these two really get at it, believe me!"

Rachel let go of Ross's hands to put her own hand on her eyes. Ross glared at Joey and Samuel decided that it was a good moment to start playing a song in the background.

Chandler chuckled because Joey was finally behaving like the real Joey they all knew. Gina, Michael and Alex were laughing like crazy in the back.

Noticing murmurs coming from the guests, Joey tried to adjust his previous tone, "Uhm…What I was trying to say is that they care so much about each other, I mean…Ross ran to two different airports to prevent Rachel from leaving for Paris before she knew that he still loved her. And Rachel…"

"She got off the plane." Ross concluded for Joey, putting his hands on Rachel's cheeks and dragging her towards him to give her a chaste kiss.

All the people in the crowd gasped with affectionate _ahws_ , recognizing all the tenderness in Ross's gesture, even if it was a bit unconventional. Monica was reminded of when Chandler had done almost the same thing with her when he was saying his vows. She looked at her husband with love.

Phoebe turned to look at Mike sitting behind Dr. Green, he had that lovely smile she'd fallen in love with.

"Ok! Let's go with the vows then. Rachel, you go first."

Rachel suddenly remembered that she hadn't really thought about her vows.

"You know what? I've been thinking for months, but all the words that came to my mind were repetitive and always insufficient to express how much I love you. I didn't want to recite all those conventional promises; like that I only want to spend my future with you, or…or that you're my prince and my soul mate."

"Hey!" Monica yelled at her, remembering that she had said something exactly like that during her vows.

Ross and Rachel chuckled, "Well, your vows were perfect, Mon, because you and Chandler are just perfect. But you know what? We are not. Ross here I am, today, confessing this to you. We've never been perfect."

The crowd began to murmur and exchanging looks.

"She's not over!" Ross shouted, glaring at all of them. He knew exactly that Rachel had something in her mind.

"You know, there's this song that says, _True perfection has to be imperfect. I know that sounds foolish but it's true._ "

At that moment, as if by magic, Samuel started playing that very song with his guitar.

Rachel heard the melody of _Little by little_ coming from behind her, so both she and Ross turned around to see him playing.

 **[ watch?v=tM1RS_5IAiE]**

Not only he had recognized the lyrics, but Sam was also playing the song, improvising it.

"Damn, you are good!" Rachel grinned.

Chandler, Phoebe and Mike nodded in approbation while the three sisters smiled silently at Rachel's remark.

"Well, I know that you don't like listening to them anymore."

Ross nodded again, they both knew that _Oasis_ were Emily's favorite band; everything associated with her was always a hard memory to Ross.

"But…you remember that we used to listen to them all the time when we first got together? You used to say that I was some kind of _Wonderwall_ to you."

"Yeah…" he replied with a dreamy expression.

Rachel took his hands again, "Ross…our relationship has been far from perfect since the beginning. Since you put on your father's tux to take me to the prom and Chip Matthews showed up at the last minute. And later he hooked up with Amy Welch instead."

Ross scoffed for that man's stupidity.

"It was far from perfect when I came to Central Perk running from my wedding, and you were there, and your umbrella opened up as you were shaking hands with me. You know, I still wonder if that was some kind of bad omen. Like when you break a mirror and you have seven years of bad luck."

"Make it ten." Ross noticed.

"Shall we talk about Emma's birth? Our Vegas wedding? And please, don't make me even start on that infamous break."

"Which we totally weren't in." Ross reassured her, making everybody around them smile.

"Honey, we have always been imperfect, you and me. But in spite of all our flaws and of all the stupid things that we've done…we always found our way to each other. Because true perfection HAS to be imperfect, and now I'm sure of that."

Monica and Phoebe looked at each other with tears in their eyes. Joey was very emotional for Rachel's words, and so was Chandler.

"Life has a weird way of showing us who we are supposed to end with. For me, it happened after someone got me a _Travel Scrabble_ and you were on the other side of the world."

Chandler and Joey looked at each other, remembering that faithful day when he had accidentally told Rachel about Ross's feelings.

"I've loved you since then, Ross. And I've never loved anyone else but you, you already know. That's why I'm marrying you today, _you were worth the wait_."

Ross couldn't resist and kissed Rachel again, this time with more passion.

All the people in the crowd were very touched by Rachel's speech, wondering if Ross would ever do better than her. They knew that he had a special gift, he was good with words, he always knew how to make them cry in every special occasion.

Today Ross was confident that he would not destroy their expectations.

"Well, Ross, now it's your turn." Joey stated.

Ross smiled in return and let go of Rachel's hands to take something from Chandler.

When Rachel recognized the yellowed papers in his hands, she gasped, "What…What are you doing?" she murmured.

He grinned in response, clearing his throat with a cough. Then he began to speak.

" _My Dear Sweet Ross, I can't tell you how much emotion has swept across me in the last few hours. These past days have been such a roller coaster of feelings…all good!_ "

"Ross! What are you doing?" Rachel tried to take the papers from his hands, but Ross kept her away.

" _If only I could erase these last few months of hell that I've been going through.._." Ross kept reading Rachel's letter.

"Ross! Please!" Rachel felt already embarrassed for her silly words of many years before.

Monica and Phoebe watched the scene without knowing what to do, but Chandler glimpsed at his wife, letting her know that everything was fine.

"It's ok, Rach…trust me." Ross whispered.

The bride shot him a look that could kill him, but stopped her movements and crossed her arms over her chest.

" _How can I express to you how I feel – please let the right words come to me – I want so much for you to understand, for you to know…There's a song I'm thinking about, you put it on that tape you gave me when I came to town, remember? It says…_ "

That was Samuel's cue to start playing again. This time, the song riff was well known by everyone in the audience.

" _Don't let yourself go 'cause everybody cries and everybody hurts sometimes._ "

Rachel was listening to her own words, still not believing that Ross had chosen to read her 18-pages letter to their relatives and friends.

Ross turned a few pages to find another passage from her long _tirade_.

" _And I know that what happened was all your fault_ " Ross raised his head from the papers and took a glimpse at the people around them, smiling " _But I can't help it, I can't stop dreaming about a future with you. I still don't know what our children's names are going to be, but when I picture them in my head they are always these cute little babies with the ability to win my heart as much as you did when you first told me that I was your lobster._ "

"Ohhhh!" Phoebe gasped, surprised and touched by Rachel's words.

Rachel blushed, but Ross wasn't over yet, " _I know, that day I pretended that I wasn't affected by your words, but the truth is that I keep it my heart as the beginning of a wonderful journey that leaded me to the best year of my entire life. I'll never love anyone as I love you now._ "

Rachel was on the verge of crying again, while the people around them were starting to realize the complicated and weird relationship that the groom and the bride have had.

Ross went straight to the last page of the letter, ready to ease the tension, " _If you accept full responsibility...I can begin to trust you again. Does that seem like something you can do? Does it?!_ " Ross almost yelled.

The six friends shared knowing looks and Ross folded the papers to give them back to Chandler. Rachel was amused more than she would ever admit.

"It **totally** does." Ross finally expressed with his own words. "That's what I should have said back then." He cleared up for the oblivious people, who laughed in response.

"You surely should have." Rachel emphasized, with Ross taking her hands back in his own.

"After all we've been through…I never believed that one day we would be here, together, celebrating our wedding. You know that I kind of lost all hopes when you moved out and after our trip to Barbados."

"That letter has been such an important benchmark in our history that when I was making up my vows, I couldn't stop thinking about it. You were right, many things were written by a selfish childish ex-girlfriend who was trying to make her point. But if you read carefully between the lines, you can unravel fear and distrust. It took me almost eight years to gain that trust back, and it was no piece of cake."

Rachel shook her head, smiling in response, thinking about everything that had happened between them since she had written that letter.

"Since you came back from that airport in the best night of my life, I've learned that when two people are meant to be, there's nothing that can keep them apart. Life was so good to make me the gift of the most beautiful woman in the world. I mean, I look at you, Rach, and I can't begin to tell you how…smart, caring, funny and talented you are."

Everyone was quiet again, the only thing in the background was the soft sound of the guitar.

"But what I love the most about you…is your strength. Rachel, you were picturing our children's faces even if we weren't together, you forgave my past mistakes, you always accepted every aspect of this geek, even the most annoying. I won't stop wondering, what did I do to deserve you into my life?"

All the girls in the audience were visibly sniffing, with their partners watching at them with weird expressions.

"I love you so much, Rachel. You said in your letter that you would never love anyone like you loved me then. Well, I can love someone more. I will always love **you** more each passing day, because the love we share keeps growing. That's why today I'm giving back _trust_ to you."

Ross was evidently referring to the inscription on their wedding rings, and Rachel knew.

Phoebe and Monica used tissues to wipe out their tears, Chandler cleaned his teary eyes with his hands.

"You know, years ago, when I was getting married to another woman, we all thought I said the wrong name. Turns out, I said the right one."

Rachel couldn't hold it anymore; she dragged Ross to her for a long awaited kiss. She didn't care if they were in front of dozens of people, she needed to let all those feelings flow out of her system to reach his soul.

While the audience clapped with approbation, she kept Ross close to her and whispered, "I thought you said your real vows on the beach."

"Oh, well…" he replied, giggling.

"All right, enough with the tears!" Joey interrupted them. "Chandler, the rings?"

The best man took the rings from his pocket and gave them to his friends.

"Ok, Ross, repeat after me."

Ross smiled, "It will be my pleasure."

"I, Ross."

"I, Ross."

"Take thee, Rachel."

"Take thee, Rachel."

A huge amount of relief gasps erupted from the crowd, Ross just glared at the people while Rachel was grinning for his predictable reaction.

A much less bothered Joey kept talking, "To be my wedded wife, to have and to hold, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part."

Ross and Rachel couldn't believe that Joey had actually learned all those lines. They looked at each other as Ross repeated.

"To be my wedded wife, to have and to hold, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish…till death do us part."

Ross put the wedding ring on Rachel's finger. She squeezed his hands soon after.

"Now, Rachel, repeat after me." Joey moved his attention to the bride.

"I, Rachel."

"I, Rachel."

"Take thee, Ross."

"Take thee, _Emily_."

Joey's eyes captured Chandler's in a worried expression. Phoebe and Monica, instead, were calm and had a huge smile on their faces. The music stopped.

It took Ross only two seconds to realize the absurdity of the joke and to burst out laughing. All the crowd started to laugh along with the six best friends.

"I've been DYING to say this since you proposed to me!" Rachel yelled with a huge grin on her face.

Ross was still chuckling, "God, I love you so much!"

"Me too…" she felt the touch of his warm hands on her face, then she turned her eyes to Joey.

"Ok, shall we do this again?" Joey asked her.

"Yep." Rachel stated, trying to become serious again.

"I, Rachel."

"I, Rachel."

"Take thee, Ross."

"Take thee, Ross."

"To be my wedded husband, to have and to hold, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part."

Rachel repeated by heart, not taking her eyes from Ross's unbelievably happy expression. "To be my wedded husband, to have and to hold, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish…till death do us part."

She helped Ross putting on his ring with her delicate manicured hands, then they looked at Joey in anticipation.

"Well…it looks like that's it. By the powers vested in me by the state of New York and the World Wide Web…I now pronounce you husband and wife…finally!"

Ross and Rachel were grinning as never before, waiting for Joey's final sign to kiss each other, but Joey wasn't speaking anymore. Chandler coughed at his best friend, "The kiss…"

"Oh, you may kiss the bride! Come on, you already know that!"

Ross and Rachel closed the distance between them and their lips sealed with the best kiss they have shared so far. His hands were wrapped her waist, her fingers moved on their own accord on his nape behind his neck.

The guests stood up to cheer for the groom and the bride, all incredibly happy for them.

Emma ran towards her parents and claimed their attention, so Ross immediately took her in his arms and hugged her tenderly.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let me present you for the first time – hopefully the last one – Mr. and Mrs. Geller." Joey ended his speech.

Chandler patted him on his back, "Well done, Joe!"

Monica hugged Rachel. "Welcome to the family, sister!"

"Thank you, Mon!"

Monica was walking away, but Rachel called her back, "Mon!"

"What?"

Rachel laughed, "Joey didn't forget about the rings. You owe me 50 bucks!"

Monica thought about it for a few seconds. "Damnit!" she yelled.

* * *

 **Author Note**

I'm not completely satisfied with this chapter because it was the most difficult to write since I've started this story back in June 2018.

I had the whole wedding ceremony clear in my mind because the scenes flow as in an episode, or better in a movie, but this should have been such a descriptive moment that as usual my lack of style in English – which is not my native language – was a barrier to describe it to you.

As you read, the musical inspiration was very important to me. As a part time singer and musician myself, music is a fundamental part of a ceremony. That's why I spent so much time in describing that aspect: I felt I needed to show Ross and Rachel's feelings and thoughts about it.

I know that in television music is always a secondary aspect, it's a meaningful background (if chosen accurately) but never a foreground topic.

If you think about it, though, music is such an important aspect in our everyday life: music elevates us and is with us during our life, it's there for us to think about precious memories of our past. And that's why I decided to stress out this aspect by adding a live band which is also an autobiographical reference (see ch.11).

Second, it wasn't easy trying to be both original and realistic with Ross and Rachel's wedding. I've read dozens of fictions describing this moment. A few of them are set in Hawaii or Barbados, so a classic wedding by the sea (like mine).

To me, realism is very important, that's why I wanted to spend some time to list all the main guests (it's nice to know who's invited to the wedding) because with Mondler's wedding and with Phoebe and Mike we didn't actually see who was there (on the show). It's pretty absurd that Frank and Alice weren't there for Phoebe's wedding, even if there was a snow storm.

As for the originality, I wanted my vows not to be too much sloppy (maybe I failed there), that's why in the former chapters Ross anticipated some of his vows for Rachel.

I wanted to put the infamous letter here because the first sentences I used are **real passages** from the first page of that letter. You can find it on line or in Instagram (FYI, the real part ends at " _There's a song I'm thinking about"_ ).

Rachel improvised her vows by quoting a song because she evidently has it in her (the letter is a proof).

Last but not least, I wanted Rachel to be the usual _fun_ Rachel.

The " _I, Rachel, take thee, Emily_ " was a joke that I had in mind since I started this fan fiction, this whole chapter was written to reach that point.

I've read similar jokes in other fictions (like Joey saying "take thee Rachel" in a very slow way, in one Rachel says "Take thee, Tom Cruise"…) but I'm sure enough that this joke is mine. I think it's quite funny, I hope you think so too.

Finally, I reaffirm the fact that this story is called "Close Encounters" because Ross and Rachel were intended to meet their former partners, but you won't see Emily. She's not contemplated. They discussed the topic, but we won't see her anymore because she was the one who almost ruined the lobsters lives.

I hope to write the next chapter soon. And I shall tell you, it will probably be the second to last.

RT

 **Songs:**

 **Better Man - Pearl Jam**

 **Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town - Pearl Jam**

 **Little By Little - Oasis**


	20. Can't stop loving you

**HONOLULU** **–THE WEDDING DAY**

 **9.45 p.m.**

"I think I understand the tradition of the rehearsal dinner much better, now."

Rachel was walking hand in hand with Ross in the restaurant reception hall. They had been receiving greetings and congratulations from all the guests for almost an hour, by now.

"What do you mean?" Ross asked his wife. He still could not believe that he was finally able to think about Rachel as his _wife_.

"Well, we haven't sat down for more than three minutes since we entered this restaurant and…I'm so jealous that our guests enjoyed this awesome meal and we didn't!"

Ross chuckled, watching all the people chatting and dancing in the room. A waiter came towards them holding a tray with some glasses. He took one glass of champagne and one containing a soft drink, which he immediately gave to Rachel, "God bless the rehearsal, then."

She shot a seductive smile at Ross and they clinked their flutes.

After a short sip of her beverage, Rachel touched her belly. "I don't know about you, but I would be starved if Monica hadn't planned for us to eat something before the ceremony."

"Yeah, she had everything under her scrutiny, didn't she?"

"She thought about every little detail. I don't know what we would have done without her."

Ross nodded in agreement just as Joey and his gang approached them.

"Hey! How are you holding up?" Gina asked Rachel.

"I'm fine, I thought I would get tired at some point, but…this is so exciting, I think I won't be able to sleep for a week!" she answered.

Joey addressed himself to Ross, "Good for you, man…"

Ross sniggered and shook his head.

 _Good old Joey_.

"Oh, Michael, let's dance, I love this one!"

"Mom, it's a love ballad from the 50s!" Michael replied with revulsion when he realized that the band was playing _Oh! Carol_ by Neil Sedaka.

"Come on!" Gina dragged her son on the dance floor.

Alex was humming the tune and looking at them with a huge smile on her face. Ross thought that she looked delicious; he still could not understand Joey's intention not to get into a serious relationship with her. He glanced at Rachel, who read his expression and didn't need words to understand what Ross wanted to do.

"How about a dance with the bride?" Rachel asked her best friend.

Joey looked at Ross as if he was asking for permission, but Ross had a better idea.

"Only if somebody dances with the groom to keep him company. Alex, shall we?"

"Well…" Alex didn't want to make Rachel jealous, she had known her only for a couple of days.

"It's a competition then!" Rachel smiled, kissing Ross goodbye as they dragged Alex and Joey on the dance floor.

Rachel and Joey started moving around, following the rhythm of the song.

"So, what are you afraid of, Tribbiani?" Rachel asked him.

"What do you mean?"

"I see how you and Alex are attracted to each other. She's the sweetest woman I've ever met; moreover, she liked me at first sight, which means she's really special."

Joey laughed, remembering how most women tended not to like Rachel.

"Rach, I've already told Ross…she's just a friend."

"A friend you've slept with."

Joey made her swirl around in a fast movement.

"It's…complicated, I don't see her as my girlfriend."

Rachel scoffed, "Joey, you once thought **I** could be your girlfriend."

"Yeah, and you remember how wrong that felt? I don't want to spoil our friendship!"

"Ok…but I want you to remember that Alex is preapproved by all of us."

"And who's… _us_?"

Rachel replied in a serious tone, "Monica, Phoebe and me. Your girls."

"All right, I'll remember. Thank you." Joey grinned in response.

In the meantime, Ross and Alex were dancing in a much slower way.

"Are you enjoying the wedding?" he asked her.

"Immensely, thank you so much for inviting all of us."

"Alex, I wanted to tell you something…I know what happened between you and Joey."

The woman stared at Ross with astonishment, "You…You know?"

Ross nodded, "Yes, Joey told me. I just wanted to tell you that…I know how much it hurts when someone you love seems not to love you back."

"But I'm not in…love with Joey, he's just my friend." She tried to deny her feelings.

Ross knew better, "You don't have to hide the truth with me. I've been there, believe me. With Rachel and me it's always been a chase, sometimes I was the one running after her and other times she was waiting for me to notice her. It took us ten years to finally make it right."

Alex squeezed her eyes in a questioning expression, "Why are you telling me this?"

Ross smiled, "Hang in there. It's going to happen."

Alex made half a smile, "How can you be so sure?"

He shrugged, "I'm a hopeless romantic, but I recognize love when I see it. Joey is in love with you, but he doesn't know yet."

Joey was thinking about his former conversation with Ross and Chandler.

" _Guys…I already told you, she's a friend, ok? Even after that night we spent together…I don't feel like changing our relationship, we are neighbors. No, we are friends!"_

" _Yeah, yeah…like Chandler and Monica were neighbors AND friends. Like Rachel and I were friends." Ross smiled and patted his friend back. "Just think about it."_

He smiled to himself and again turned around in time to see Alex staring at him.

Noticing that Joey was looking at her with a smile on her face, Alex diverted her eyes again.

The song ended and Ross came back to claim his place next to his wife. Joey and Alex just gazed intently at each other.

Joey knew that Rachel was right, but he still didn't want to ruin his friendship with Alex, not if he wasn't sure of her real feelings and even of his own.

But until he knew, they could at least dance.

"Shall we?" he asked her.

"It will be my pleasure." She replied, smiling with grace.

* * *

After the cake cutting – a moment when many tears of joy were shed when people watched Emma, Ross and Rachel cutting the cake while listening to _With or Without You_ – the band resumed the concert.

Ross and Rachel decided to dance again when they heard the beginning of _Ring of Fire_.

 **[ watch?v=mIBTg7q9oNc]**

 _§_

 _Love is a burning thing_

 _and it makes a fiery ring_

 _Bringing me the wild desire_

 _I fell into a ring of fire_

 _§_

Carol and Susan, who had been very busy with Ben and Emma until that very moment, joined them.

"Mind if I cut in?" Susan asked to the newlyweds.

Ross wondered for a second whom she was talking to, but it was pretty obvious that she wanted to dance with Rachel.

"Of course, sweetie!" Rachel chuckled, grabbing Susan's hands.

"I'll keep an eye on you!" Ross ironically stated.

Susan just ignored him and followed the bride, leaving Carol behind with Ross. The two of them spent a few moments to admire the view in front of them, and then Ross smiled at his ex-wife and invited her to dance.

 _§_

 _I fell into a burning ring of fire_

 _I went down, down, down and the flames went higher_

 _And it burns, burns, burns_

 _The ring of fire, the ring of fire_

 _§_

"I'm so happy for you two, Ross…" Carol finally confessed him.

"Thank you, Carol. This means a lot to me. And you were just amazing, with both Ben and Emma, I don't know how to thank you for that."

"Oh, don't even think about it. She's my son's sister, which makes her like a second daughter to me."

Ross made a huge smile.

"You know, Susan and I have been betting for years about this day. She lost hopes at some point, but I must say that since you and Rachel got together the first time I had the feeling that you would get married, in spite of your _on and offs_."

"Well, even if we hit some bump in the road, this is the place I really hoped to end in."

Carol nodded and smiled, she could still read his eyes and she knew that he had never been this happy before.

"There's something I wanted to ask you."

"What?"

"I never really regretted…the way we two broke up…well, you know."

Ross chuckled, "Obviously."

"But I've always wondered…had I never realized that I was a lesbian… if we hadn't split up and I hadn't fallen in love with Susan instead…with Rachel back in your life, you think we would still be together today? Or you reckon you might have been the one to leave me because…well…maybe you would have realized that you were in love with her?"

Ross was caught off-guard by her honest yet difficult question. He had never really thought about this. Rachel had decided to run away from Barry just when Ross's divorce had become official, there were never doubts about the possibility for him and Carol to get back together.

He turned around and his eyes fell on his bride, who was dancing and laughing along with Susan; Rachel had the cutest expression on her face.

Ross didn't want to lie to his ex-wife. He shook his head with a sigh, "Do you really want me to answer?"

Carol's lips curved into a sweet smile, "No, I think I got my answer. It's in your eyes."

"I'm sorry, Carol."

"Don't be!" she interrupted his bad thoughts with a gentle stroke of his arm. "We both ended up with the person we were meant to be with. But I don't regret our marriage, we had a few good years together, and don't ever think that I didn't love you when we got married."

Ross nodded with conviction, "Same here. You know how much I cared about you. You were the only woman I've ever loved aside from Rachel. She knows this, too. Most of all, I'm glad that we got Ben from our union. It was…nice with us, wasn't it?"

Carol laughed, "Yeah, I always remember our marriage with joy. But it's evident that now we are both happier and…more satisfied."

Ross smiled at her, "That's for sure!"

They hugged each other just in time to see their respective wives coming back.

"Hey! You said you'd keep an eye on her, but maybe I'm the one who should check on you." Rachel observed, smiling to make them understand that she was joking.

"I promise, Rachel, you don't need to worry. There's only been place for one woman in the heart of this man, and that is you."

Rachel's expression turned into a sweet one, "Oh, Carol…that's so sweet!" she hugged her.

Susan took a glimpse of Ross, who was definitely enjoying this moment.

She wondered what Carol and her ex-husband had been talking about, almost afraid that she was regretting something.

However, a few seconds later, Carol took her hand and smiled at her, making her heart jump. Susan was a tough woman, but whenever Carol looked at her like that, she completely melted.

Maybe Carol had just clarified something with Ross; she would ask her later.

* * *

After another funny conga moment with _Copa Cabana_ – Ross and Rachel had danced and sung in a foolish way – Ross intercepted Chandler's gaze and his friend nodded in response. They both disappeared from view while the _Tozzi Sisters_ were playing another famous song, _Runaround Sue_. Rachel had enjoyed it immensely, dancing along with Monica and Emma.

When Samuel and his sisters ended the song, all the people in the room were cheering and clapping at them, so they didn't expect for the groom to show up on the stage.

Knowing that _the moment_ had come, the three sisters left the stage after giving Ross a microphone.

"What's going on?" Monica asked her friends.

"I have no idea…" Rachel replied, looking for Phoebe's eyes but realizing that she was oblivious as much as they were.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the groom." Samuel announced.

Ross smiled at him and coughed in the microphone, already nervous for what he was going to do. Chandler was standing beside the stage with Paul, Brian and Larry – the former members of the band – ready to surprise everyone.

"Rachel, this is for you." Ross murmured.

Samuel shared a look with Ross, who nodded at him, then the guitarist introduced a song and he started to play with the drummer and the double bass player.

What the audience didn't know was that Ross would be singing with them.

 **[ watch?v=kUjFpdxFWHU]**

§

 _There were bells on a hill_

 _But I never heard them ringing_

 _No, I never heard them at all_

 _Till there was you_

 _There were birds in the sky_

 _But I never saw them winging_

 _No, I never saw them at all_

 _Till there was you_

 _§_

Ross had started to sing with an almost fearful voice, he hadn't sung in front of such a big crowd for years. But after thirty seconds, he became more secure of himself.

Rachel was incredulous.

"I can't believe he's doing this for me…" she said.

Monica sighed right next to her and took her hand. "Is that really my brother? I didn't know he could sing that well!"

"Had we known, maybe we wouldn't have mocked them so much for their ridiculous band!"

"Wasn't Chandler the lead singer?" Phoebe asked quietly, she was really enjoying Ross's performance.

§

 _Then there was music and wonderful roses_

 _They tell me in sweet fragrant meadows_

 _Of dawn and dew_

 _There was love all around_

 _But I never heard it singing_

 _No, I never heard it at all_

 _Till there was you_

 _§_

Samuel started a guitar solo and Ross took his chance to get off the stage. He walked slowly towards a bouquet and took off a blue rose.

All the people were swaying in time with _The Beatles_ love ballad when the groom finally approached his wife, the mic in one hand and the flower in the other.

Monica smiled when she noticed Rachel crying. She took a glimpse of Phoebe and they both left space for Ross to join Rachel.

He gave her the rose and kissed her cheek, making Rachel traveling in time to the day of Barry and Mindy's wedding. She greeted him with the sweetest smile, and then she put her hands behind Ross's back while he concluded the song.

§

 _Then there was music and wonderful roses_

 _They tell me in sweet fragrant meadows_

 _Of dawn and dew_

 _There was love all around_

 _But I never heard it singing_

 _No, I never heard it at all_

 _Till there was you_

 _Till there was you_

 _§_

Rachel's eyes glittered with emotion when Ross sang the last line of the song. While the musicians kept playing until the end, the newlyweds hugged tenderly. Rachel pulled his lips forward for a well-deserved kiss and all the guests clapped in appreciation of what Ross had just done.

Joey and his gang were all yelling at him, many women were wiping away tears that turned into tender smiles when Ross bent to kiss Rachel's belly. Emma shrieked with joy and ran towards her parents, willing to be involved in that moment of happiness.

"Thank you, honey." Rachel whispered.

"I love you all so much."

"Luv you too, daddy." Emma said, holding her father.

Phoebe and Monica were still too emotional, and so were the three singers that had come back to their places in front of the microphones.

"You have to excuse my sisters, they have very sensitive souls."

All the people laughed at the singer's remark.

"Ross's surprise for Rachel was so overwhelming, why don't we all make another round of applause for him? No, wait, for _them_! Mr. and Mrs. Geller, ladies and gentlemen!"

Ross flushed a bit and looked back at the band, clapping back for their accompaniment during his performance. Rachel didn't want to let him go, all the emotions she was feeling were hard to explain. Even if she lacked of words, though, her eyes were saying very well what she was thinking.

"Well, I hope you're not tired, because we're not over yet. Chandler?"

Chandler smiled and finally jumped on the stage. He gave a high-five to Sam, who moved back and let him stand in front of the guests.

Now it was Monica's turn to be shocked. "What is he doing?" she asked Phoebe and Joey.

"No idea."

"Do you know about this?" she asked her brother.

Ross just smiled in return.

"When Ross asked me what I thought about him singing for Rachel, I said that she would probably throw her bouquet at him."

All the guests started to laugh; almost everyone knew Chandler's sarcastic tone, so they were not surprised by his joke.

"But I also told him that his odds might be good. I'm sure that Rachel appreciated his performance. I wish I had the same idea for _my_ wedding, but Monica would have probably chased me away had I tried to do something that she had not planned!"

Monica glared at Chandler, pretending to be annoyed by his words. She didn't manage to, because she looked at Rachel and Ross who were both laughing at her and she started to chuckle, too.

"Anyway, this is not over yet. As many of you already know, Ross and I have known each other since we were in college. Even if our friendship was mainly founded on _unfortunate hair_ , one of the things that made us _very_ popular was our band, we were called _Way! No Way!_ "

"Oh my God…" Monica began to realize what was going to happen in a few moments.

"I was the lead singer and Ross played keyboards. Paul, Brian and Larry, here, were our guitarist, drummer and bass player. If you're wondering, no, we were never surrounded by groupies willing to sleep with us."

"Speak for yourself!" Ross shouted. Rachel slapped his arm playfully, but she didn't let go of Ross who was holding her from behind.

"Ross wrote many songs for us, most of them were tragic love ballads dedicated to Rachel…To sum it up, Ross was insanely in love with her, but she never reciprocated his attention, not even when he decided to cut his hair and mustache. When later he met Carol, the songs became more joyful…hi Carol!"

Chandler waved his hand at her, and all the people stared at Ross's first ex-wife blushing.

"So, even if _Emotional Knapsack_ would be a hit today, we don't want to get depressed in such a lovely day…that's why after a long wait of 17 years, you will have the reunion you were all yearning for and the _Way! No Way!_ will cover a very famous song for you!"

All the guests cheered and clapped their hands, still laughing for Chandler's speech.

The former members of the band – including Ross – got on the stage and took their instruments. Ross sat behind a keyboard that had just appeared next to Chandler. Brian sat on the stool behind the drums, taking the drumsticks from Ivan's hands.

"First of all I want to thank Samuel; he's going to play the guitar with us. I don't think that Paul could play very well, seeing that he hasn't touched a guitar in 15 years!"

The young singer and his sisters were laughing like crazy, "You're very welcome!"

"This is for our wives but also for all the women in the audience." Chandler concluded.

"One, two, three, four!" Brian counted, taking time with the drumsticks.

When the men started to play, it took the people a few seconds to recognize the song. Then Ross started to move his hands on the keyboard to play the introduction riff and everybody realized which song they would play.

" _Toto_? Really?" Phoebe asked Mike, wondering if those guys were really capable to play such a beautiful song as _Stop loving you_.

"Chandler is never going to sing this, come on!" Joey grinned.

When the first verse of the song began, Joey was unbelievably proved wrong.

 **[ watch?v=bYr3OJOXk60]**

 _§_

 _Reflections in my mind_

 _Thoughts I can't define_

 _My heart is racing and the night goes on_

 _I can almost hear a laugh_

 _Coming from your photograph_

 _Funny how a look can share a thousand meanings_

 _§_

"Oh, God, he's good!" Monica yelled.

"He really is!" Rachel chuckled.

Chandler appeared very sure of himself on the stage, singing in front of all those people. Ross noticed with a huge smile that his best friends and wife were all astonished and couldn't believe their ears.

 _§_

 _Well-intended lies_

 _Contemplating alibis_

 _Is it really you or is it me I'm blaming?_

 _A distant memory_

 _Flashes over me_

 _Even though you're gone I feel you deep inside_

 _§_

"Listen to Ross! Can you believe he's that good? And he bothered us with that ridiculous sound of his while he could have played _this_!" Joey shouted.

Without realizing, they were all clapping their hands in time while Chandler smiled at Ross, who gave him a short satisfied look.

Before the chorus, Chandler heard the three sisters starting to sing next to him, doing backing vocals in three different tones. He was startled at the beginning, then he remembered how good the members of that band were at improvising. Sam was playing his guitar incredibly well, for a person who had never rehearsed with them.

 _§_

 _Dance beneath the light with that look in your eyes_

 _§_

Finally, when the chorus began, all the people in the crowd sang together with the band, clapping hands or waving their arms in time.

 _§_

 _I can't stop loving you_

 _Time passes quickly and chances are few_

 _I won't stop 'til I'm through loving you girl_

 _§_

At the end of the chorus, Phoebe, Joey, Monica and Rachel were so captivated by the band that they started to dance.

Phoebe was dancing along with Mike; Joey was soon approached by Alex. Beside them, Gina and Michael were showing how clumsy but cute they were, and Monica was swinging on her own, still astonished by the groove going on with the band. Chandler smiled at her and began singing the second verse of the song.

 _§_

 _There's a window in the heart_

 _I've tried to look through from the start_

 _You're never really sure what someone else is thinking_

 _§_

Leonard and Sandra walked towards Rachel.

"Shall we?" the father asked the bride.

"Of course, daddy!" she replied, beginning to dance with him while Sandra twirled around with Emma in her arms.

 _§_

 _Someone's broken something new_

 _Another altered point of view_

 _Just a certain someone's conscience playing_

 _I held it in my hand_

 _I did not understand_

 _What lives inside the wind that cries her name_

 _§_

Chandler knew that the next part would be tough to sing, but he tried his best. Noticing his effort, Samuel helped him with the highest tune of the verse, singing along with him.

 _§_

 _Trying to catch a shooting star_

 _What seems so close can't be that far_

 _I'm living in a dream that's never ending_

 _§_

The three sisters sang again to accompany Chandler before and during the chorus.

 _§_

 _Dance beneath the light with that look in your eyes_

 _I can't stop loving you_

 _Time passes quickly and chances are few_

 _I won't stop 'til I'm through loving you girl_

 _§_

Leonard was grinning from ear to ear, Sandra had never seen him so satisfied. They were both very proud of their daughter, who had finally managed to build a happy life for herself. And Leonard had really changed his attitude during the last couple of days. He was _actually_ glad for Rachel's marriage, and he was showing her how much he cared.

After the chorus, an instrumental section of the song began. Noticing Monica looking at Chandler, Samuel patted him and invited the man to get off the stage to dance with his wife. Chandler complied with a smile on his face. He walked towards Monica and asked her about the kids. She nodded at her parents: Jack and Judy were dancing in the vicinity of the stroller in which the twins were sleeping peacefully.

Ross was still playing when Chandler left the stage; considering that he should be dancing with his wife, Mike kissed Phoebe and left her side to substitute the groom at the keyboards.

Ross became aware of Mike's presence only when he touched his shoulder.

"Go dance with your wife." He suggested with a smile.

Ross smiled back at him and Mike replaced him just in time to perform a solo. Ross found Rachel and Dr. Green and politely asked if he could take his place.

Leonard smiled and backed off; when he saw that his ex-wife was now alone because Emma had decided to go and dance with her brother Ben, he approached her. Sandra looked pleasantly surprised by the gesture and accepted his request to dance together.

Rachel watched the scene with newfound hope for her parents to get back together; even if she wasn't a child anymore and she was a wife and mother, she kept harboring hopes for Leonard and Sandra to find their way to each other again, just as she had managed to do with Ross. If they had moved past their divergences, maybe her parents could, too.

In the meantime, Michael asked Alex to dance with him and Joey joined forces with Phoebe, trying to avoid to bump into her lovely bulky belly. Gina found a new companion in Gunther, just as Susan and Carol stood up from their table to dance together.

By now almost all the couples in the room were dancing: Janice and Sid, Russ and Julie, even Charlie and Benji.

After the long instrumental bridge, full of instruments solos, Samuel eventually began to sing again with his sisters.

 _§_

 _Dancing with that look that's in your eyes_

 _§_

The singers asked the guests to clap their hands in time.

 _§_

 _I can't stop loving you_

 _Time passes quickly and chances are few_

 _I won't stop 'til I'm through loving you girl_

 _§_

Rachel chose this moment to give Ross a soft peck. She had never been so happy in her entire life. A year and half ago she had felt alone and desperate of never finding love again. She didn't have a boyfriend and she really thought that her relationship with Ross was over, after that stupid flirt with Joey. She couldn't imagine that being fired from Ralph Loren would activate a series of _fortunate_ events that would lead her to this very day.

"I love you so much." She confessed to her husband.

"Did you enjoy the surprise?" he questioned.

"Immensely."

Instead of dancing wildly for the end of the song, they began to sway slowly, like they were the only two people in the world.

Ross stared at her with an expression that spoke a thousand words. Then he sang the last chorus of the song with a soft feeble voice, so that only Rachel could hear him.

 _§_

 _I can't stop loving you_

 _Time passes quickly and chances are few_

 _I won't stop 'til I'm through loving you_

 _§_

Rachel's face was shining with happiness. "So, you are my personal Patrick Swayze, now?"

Ross understood her intention to hint at the ending scene of _Dirty Dancing_.

"Nobody puts Rach in the corner!" he chuckled, _paraphrasing_ the quote.

They both laughed for his joke, then Ross's hands grasped her face and they kissed passionately. They almost didn't notice that the band was singing the last verse of the song.

 _§_

 _Loving you_

 _§_

The band hadn't finished yet, but Chandler and Monica walked towards the stage to thank the siblings.

"It doesn't matter how much Ross payed for you, it was worth every penny." They chuckled, with Samuel still playing because the song wasn't over yet. "You are too precious for this world!"

The sisters flushed a bit, then they bowed while holding their gowns imitating a very 50s mannerism. Chandler couldn't help but smile at those beautiful ladies.

The six friends kept dancing until the end of the song. Ross and Rachel looked at Monica and Chandler. Then at Phoebe and Joey.

It wasn't more than a glimpse that passed among the six of them, but it was enough to tell the others how they were all feeling.

They were content and incredibly pleased for this wonderful day.

Pleased to be still friends after more than ten years.

Pleased to love their friends so much and always be there for each other.

Pleased to have become a family.

Because in the end, everything started and ended with these six amazing people.

* * *

Later that night, Ross and Rachel had finally managed to sit at their table to spend some quality time on their own.

Many of the guests had gone back to the hotel, and so had Jack and Judy, who had called a cab to head back with the twins.

Monica and Chandler were slowly dancing at the sound of a popular ballad, _Goodnite, Sweetheart, Goodnite_ (interpreted by the band in the _McGuire Sisters_ version).

Monica was looking at her brother over Chandler's shoulder, incapable of get rid of her own smile. Chandler noticed this and asked her, "What?"

"I'm so happy for them."

Chandler turned his face in time to see Ross and Rachel eating another piece of their cake. Ross had just put some cream on her nose, making Rachel laugh. He bent to clean her up with a sweet kiss.

"Yeah, me too." Chandler considered.

"I must say…Ross's idea was weird, unexpected and very uncommon for a wedding ceremony, but…"

"But?" Chandler urged her to go on.

Monica smiled at her husband. "But Rachel loved it. Everybody loved it, actually!"

"What about you?" he asked her.

"Well, I think I'm a bit envious because you guys didn't do this at our wedding."

Chandler was grinning, "I knew you'd enjoy this!"

"So why didn't you think about it?" she wondered.

"Well, I had, but then I decided that I wanted Ross to take advantage of the _reunion_ for his tenth wedding."

Monica chuckled along with him, "Oh yeah? Is that so?"

"No…this was all Ross's idea; you know he's a hopeless romantic when it comes to Rachel."

"They are so mushy!"

"Probably." Chandler agreed. "But it was nice to play all together after so many years. And let's face it, even if I had thought about this, you wouldn't have let us play."

Monica nodded, "Knowing myself as I do, you're right. I wanted to have everything under control at our wedding. But I've changed my mind, this was a wonderful idea. And you are such a good singer, honey!"

"Well, thank you, sweetie." Chandler replied, incredulous.

Monica sighed, "Well, don't tell Ross, but this wedding definitely beat ours."

"You think so?"

"Let's be honest. These are _Ross and Rachel_ …" Chandler nodded with a tender smile on his face. "They deserve this. This is probably the third best day of my life, too."

Chandler grinned, willing to know more, "Which were the two best days?"

Monica giggled, "The afternoon that we came back from London…and the day we brought Jack and Erika home."

Chandler shook his head, "You see? This is why I love you. I swear, more and more each passing day."

"I love you too. And hey, listen, if I had let you, what song would you dedicate to me?"

Chandler smiled and took a glimpse of Samuel on the stage. The singer nodded imperceptibly and the band began to play a new tune.

"The best man wants to dedicate this song to the most special woman in his life."

Monica recognized the beginning of the song even before they started to sing.

 **[ watch?v=h9ZGKALMMuc]**

 _§_

 _Some day, when I'm awfully low_

 _When the world is cold_

 _I will feel a glow just thinking of you_

 _And the way you look tonight_

 _§_

She felt a tear forming to the corner of her eyes and she kissed Chandler with gratitude. She had really married the most wonderful man.

At that moment, a very drunk Janice ran and jumped on the stage, screaming.

"Chandler, this is our song!"

Chandler and Monica interrupted their kiss because of Janice's gun-machine-laughter. They turned around to watch her just in time to see the woman falling down from the stage in a clumsy attempt to balance herself during her guffaw.

Sid reached his wife on the floor and tried to wake her up, seeing that Janice was now asleep.

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear…what did she say?"

Chandler and Monica looked back at each other, a huge grin on both their faces.

Ross and Rachel watched the scene too. Ross had an incredulous expression on his face. He looked at his wife, still trying to figure out why they had felt the need to invite Janice in the first place.

"Don't give me that look, you are the one who slept with her!" Rachel reminded him.

* * *

 **Songs:**

 **Ring of Fire - Johnny Cash**

 **Till There Was You - The Beatles**

 **Stop Loving You - Toto**

 **The Way You Look Tonight - Frank Sinatra**


	21. Departures

**Note of the Author**

 **Well, here we are. This is the last chapter of _Close Encounters_.**

 **I think there might be an epilogue, but not yet. I will think about it _– that's all I'm asking_!**

 **I feel that this story is over; Ross and Rachel already confronted each other about the main issues of their relationship. I believe that a fiction must be realistic to be _mine_.**

 **And this story already had enough _unrealistic_ scenes. To keep up with the reader's expectations and the kind of fiction that Friends has, when I started to write I based this story on the meetings with former boyfriends and girlfriends. In fact, the first intent of _Close Encouters_ was to help Ross and Rachel discuss the problems in their relationship by the means of these encounters. I feel that within these 20 chapters they actually did, they grew up and their marriage is going to be healthy and awesome from now on.**

 **I don't like drama and I don't want further drama, so, I'm sorry, _but we're done_.**

 **I hope you keep reading my other stories, especially those that have yet to come.**

 **I have so many ideas in my mind!**

 **I will probably start with a cycle of Roschel one shots, but I also want to write a cycle of AU in Barbados and if I ever have time I will write an AU set in season 9.**

 **Please, keep R &R, because that's what keep authors writing.**

 **Thank you!**

* * *

"This is the first time that I fly after a wedding that went well!"

Rachel unconsciously smiled at the memory of Ross and Emily's wedding ceremony. She had hated every second of it until Ross had said her name at the altar, and she had felt so lonely during that whole week she'd spent in Europe.

However, Ross had surely spent a worse time flying from London to New York on his own.

"Well, this is also the first time that we go on honeymoon _together_ , Ross."

Ross giggled, "Yeah…I still think both of us should have taken advantage of that trip to Greece, though."

Rachel sighed, "Please, don't go over that."

"You should have seen Emily's face when she saw me ready to get on the plane with you." Ross chuckled.

"I don't need a mental image, thank you." Rachel retorted.

Ross grinned, a memory suddenly coming to his mind, "You had the cutest braid when you came back…You were incredibly beautiful."

Rachel secretly melted inside, "Well, you weren't so flattering when I came back from Athens."

"What do you know; I was trying to save an illogical marriage with an unreasonable wife who didn't even want to talk to me."

They both giggled for Ross's joke, and then they exchanged a slow tender peck.

"So, are we visiting the UK during this journey?"

Ross shook his head, "Joey conveniently excluded London from the legs of this trip."

Rachel chuckled again, "Smart move. Did Joey really planned our honeymoon?" she was a bit surprised.

It was Ross's turn to smile, "Nope, Monica and I did, Joey just paid for it."

The newlyweds kept smiling at each other even when the stewardess announced that they would be ten minutes late because they were still waiting for two passengers to board.

"You know what I'm still wondering?"

"What?" Ross asked her.

"If you decided not to see Emily anymore because you were afraid of still having feelings for her or because you were so angry that you didn't want bad memories to resurface."

Ross didn't need to think about it, "I DON'T want to see her anymore because she is the only person who ever tried to make me give up on the most important thing in my life."

Rachel shot him a lingering look and took his hands in hers.

"But the most terrible thing…the reason why I don't want ever to set eyes on her again…is the lame fact that she was the only person who actually almost _made me_ do it."

Rachel nodded in comprehension, remembering those awful moments when Ross had confessed that Emily wanted him not to see her anymore.

"Fortunately I came back to my senses in time to figure out what I was doing and to kiss her off!"

"Yep, otherwise today we wouldn't be here doing this."

She leaned on to him to initiate an intense kiss. When she let go of his lips, Ross felt thankful for that precious second chance that Rachel had given to him. He was the luckiest man on Earth.

"Thank you, Rach."

"For what?" she asked with a soft voice.

"For everything. For being my friend, for being so forgiven, for Emma, for our baby growing inside you…and most of all, thank you for making come true the dream I had since I was 15... Thank you for marrying me."

Rachel was enthusiastic, "You won't believe this, but I've been dreaming of getting married since I was 10 years old, so this wasn't a good deed, just me being selfish."

They amiably chuckled while Ross leaned on his headrest.

"So, this was an interesting year, wasn't it? You think we deserve a vacation from the real world after meeting so many exes?"

"Totally, I mean…there was Julie…and then Charlie…"

"Tag..." Ross wanted to stress out the fact that they had also met one of Rachel's former boyfriends.

"…Janice…" she continued.

Ross glared at her, but Rachel smiled and put her hands behind his neck with a charming expression on her face. Just when Ross was surrendering again to her spell, they heard a voice behind them.

"Ross…Rachel!"

Ross and Rachel were so involved in what they were doing that they hadn't noticed a man standing beside the two empty seats next to their own.

When they looked up at him, they couldn't help but greet the newly-arrived with a dazed look.

Paul Stevens was staring at them with a dumbfound expression, not believing his eyes.

Rachel and Ross looked at him and then back at each other, both incredulous for this umpteenth unexpected meeting.

Paul couldn't talk. He was still exhausted because he had been weeping for ten minutes at the gate when he had realized that the flight attendant reminded him of his wife when she was young.

"Daddy, did you find our seats?" a lively voice asked as a young woman made her way walking along the aisle.

"I found something better, sweetheart." Paul replied.

Elizabeth joined her father just in time to see him nodding at the couple already seated in front of them. Lizzie followed Paul's gaze and finally noticed Ross and Rachel still cuddled close to each other.

"Uhm…Ross…Rachel…" she mumbled, trying to avoid blushing for the embarrassment in front of them. "Well, you book a flight to reach the other side of the world and you find out that this _is_ a small world after all!"

Rachel tried to ease the tension, "Talking about those six degrees of separation, uh?!"

Ross was astonished and his eyes almost fell when he heard his wife quoting Stanley Milgram's theory.

"What, you mentioned this at that seminar…"

Ross still kept his eyes on her.

"I _was_ listening." She smirked.

"God, I never wanted you more than in this moment." Ross whispered to her.

Rachel smiled while she lovingly stroked his cheeks.

Paul and Lizzie were still staring at them, trying to figure out what was going on. Liz was the first one to notice that they wore wedding bands.

"You got back together!" she affirmed with a knowing smile.

Ross and Rachel coughed and tried to hide their discomfort.

"I knew it. Let me guess, did this happened right after you broke up with me, Ross?" she asked him, while a sly grin illuminated her face.

Rachel leaned her head and tried to speak so that only her husband could hear, "God, tell me we won't have to spend the next six hours to tell these two how we finally got back together."

Ross giggled at her. Paul was still watching them with an unidentifiable expression on his face. He hadn't uttered a word for a couple of minutes.

"Paul?" Rachel asked him. "Are you okay?"

"So…you are really…back together?" he questioned them, articulating every word.

Rachel nodded in total seriousness, "Yes."

"And this…happened after you left me?"

Rachel didn't know what to say, so she just nodded again. "I'm afraid so."

"And now…you are traveling together?"

Ross intervened, "Actually we are on our honeymoon…we'll make a tour of the most beautiful capitals of Europe."

"Ahw…" Lizzie smiled at them.

"We are just sorry that we had to leave our little one, she's still so young but…we didn't feel like taking her with us for the honeymoon, you know?" Rachel told them.

"Oh, so you have a daughter? What's her name?" Elizabeth asked.

Rachel grinned, noticing that Elizabeth looked genuinely interested, "Emma."

Paul was on the verge of crying. Lizzie began to look at her father with a concerned look.

"You really have a daughter?" he asked, holding on the sobs.

Rachel nodded again, now a bit uncomfortable. "Yes…"

At that moment, Paul began to cry totally out of control. Lizzie sighed and patted his back to soothe him.

"Oh my God, the gates are still open!" Rachel murmured to Ross.

Elizabeth snorted with annoyance, "We were late at getting on the plane because there was this woman at the gate who reminded him of my mother. He cried for ten minutes!" she explained.

Rachel tried to stifle a laugh.

"Rachel…he's been like that since you left him, and I had never seen daddy cry before that moment…What in hell did you do to him?!" Elizabeth had been dying to know this for years.

Ross and Rachel just shared another knowing look and smiled tenderly at each other while Lizzie excused herself and escorted her father to the toilet.

Ross took Rachel's hand and squeezed it, trying to convey every kind of feeling.

They knew this would be a _long_ journey, as their whole relationship had been in the last 12 years.

But they wouldn't want it in any other way.

* * *

 **Note of the author**

Credits for the storyline in this chapter go to the fabulous **Babatomyfriends** , who not only gave me the idea but was also a loyal reader – and _advisor_ – while I was writing this fan fiction. Thank you!


End file.
